A DRUG addicted mother who drove while disqualified told a court she was hoping to have treatment but it could not start yet because she was pregnant.

Burnley Magistrates heard how Alison Margaret Johnson, 34, was 23 weeks pregnant and was planning to have a termination in a few days.

The defendant, already mother of a baby daughter, got behind the wheel while banned and then did it again just over two weeks later.

Johnson, of Cutler Lane, Stacksteads, admitted two counts of driving while disqualified, two of not having insurance, theft charges and failing to surrender.

She was given an 18 months community rehabilitation order.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said the defendant was banned earlier this year until August 19 and on July 6, was stopped driving in Stacksteads.

She told officers she did not know she was disqualified and she was arrested.

On July 23, she was spotted driving again, in Colne, was stopped again and was arrested.

Gill Lloyd, defending, said in June Johnson had been given a community rehabilitation order, but that had not been able to kick in yet.

She had a long standing drug abuse problem but as far as possible had been taking steps to address it.

The steps had been hindered because of her personal circumstances.

She had already received help from the community drugs team and it was hoped she would go on a drug substitute but she could not start on that while she was pregnant.

The defendant was planning to have a termination in a few days.

Miss Lloyd told the court it was hoped Johnson's treatment would start in the next two weeks.

Johnson had also been in contact with a drug rehabilitation centre.

The solicitor added the defendant, who had a 21-month-old daughter, had been banned for six months under the totting up procedure.

She thought the second time she had been driving she had not been committing an offence because she had been on a car park and not a public road.