A TEENAGER with an 'uncaring and flippant' attitude to driving has been jailed for four months after getting behind the wheel while banned and over the limit.

Burnley Magistrates heard how David Barry Cummings had earlier been disqualified for dangerous driving and, although the 12 month period had run out, he was still banned because he had not taken the mandatory retest.

The court was told the defendant had never held nor even applied for a driving licence.

Cummings, 19, of Lime Road, Haslingden, admitted two counts of driving while disqualified, two of using an uninsured vehicle and one of driving with excess alcohol. He was also banned for a year.

He was told by the bench he had offended repeatedly, committed offences of a similar nature in the past and failed to respond to sentences imposed.

The court was told the defendant gave two breath tests after he was arrested. The lower showed 45 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Janet Sime, defending, said Cummings had not been fully aware he had been disqualified until he took a retest.

A pre-sentence report may have suggested he had a rather uncaring and flippant attitude to what he had done but of course he realised the seriousness of the offences.

The defendant, who had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, had realised the problems alcohol had caused him and had reduced his intake.

Miss Sime said Cummings lived with his sister and mother, paid all the bills and considered himself the man of the house. He took his responsibilities seriously as far as his family was concerned.

The defendant had faced a considerable amount of worry and concern over the proceedings and the risk of custody had come as quite a shock to his system.

The solicitor added Cummings needed to understand the dangers his offending posed to other people.

Rehabilitation and counselling would be better than sending him to prison.