A BANNED driver caught behind the wheel of a yellow Ferrari was on a mercy dash after his ex-girlfriend claimed she was going to end her life, a court was told.

Burnley magistrates heard how Mohammed Syed, 24, was fooled by the woman who made "spurious allegations" and she alleged he had then threatened to kill her.

Syed, of Highfield Avenue, Burnley, escaped a jail term after admitting driving while disqualified, last July. He was fined £50, with £50 costs and the bench told him they were not imposing a further disqualification.

Brian Irlam, defending, said Syed, who was banned on July 25, 2001, had not re-offended and had had no intention of driving while disqualified.

He had had a relationship with a girl who had had psychiatric problems and had previously been admitted to hospital after having overdosed. After they had been split up about a month, the defendant received a call from the girl, saying she was on the Travel Lodge car park, Burnley, and was taking tablets 'like Smarties'.

The girl told Syed she was going to kill herself, he did not want her death on his hands and he got in his cousin's car which was parked outside.

Mr Irlam said the defendant's paramount concern was to get to the car park and to his former partner.

He was seriously duped by the girl over the overdose claim. She made spurious allegations that Syed had threatened to kill her. The allegations were dropped, but the defendant spent a week in custody.

The solicitor told the court Syed admitted what he had done to the police. Had he not told officers what he had done, he would not have been facing the disqualified driving charge.