A BANNED mother-of-three got behind the wheel to take her children to see the ex-partner she lives in fear of, Burnley magistrates were told.

Sarah Hobson-Shaw, 25, of Barnoldswick, had been disqualified 16 days before, but was so terrified of her youngsters' father she did what he said, the court heard.

Hobson-Shaw was told the guideline sentence for what she had done was custody but instead she was conditionally discharged for 12 months and banned for 18 months after admitting driving while disqualified and without insurance.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said the defendant was in a car smash, but it was not her fault.

She gave details that were not quite accurate and within an hour it was discovered she was disqualified. She had lost her licence for six months under the totting up procedure.

John Greenwood, defending, said Hobson-Shaw was estranged from the father of her children. In the past she had had to seek the protection of the courts and call police out to domestic incidents. She was frightened of him to the extent that if the former partner said jump, she did.

The man phoned to say he wanted to see the children and the defendant foolishly decided to take the youngsters to Nelson in the car, but knew she should not have done.

She just wanted to get the children there as soon as she could.

Mr Greenwood added Hobson-Shaw was not a criminal, but somebody who made a very bad decision.

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