OFF duty police officers saw disqualified driver Brian Little driving a works van in Marlborough on three occasions, magistrates heard on Monday.

Painter and decorator Little, 40, of Five Stiles Road, Marlborough, appeared before magistrates in Andover on Monday. The case was heard at Andover, which has custody facilities, in case the magistrates decided to send Little to prison.

However bench chairman Geoff Olsen told Little he had escaped going to prison by pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity.

"That is all that has kept you out of custody," he told the father-of-three.

Rhys Davies, prosecuting, said Little had been disqualified for three years on September 21 last year for drink driving. It was the second time he had been disqualified for drink driving.

On November 25 an off duty police officer saw Little driving a Ford Transit van in Marlborough.

He was seen driving the same van on November 25 and also on December 3 when officers stopped him in George Lane in Marlborough.

Little told officers he knew he had been disqualified for three years and should not have been driving.

He said his employer was unaware that he had been disqualified.

Anne Ellery, defending, said Little had been doing his best to earn money to maintain his family and had not thought of the consequences.

She said Little had been brought up sharp by the prospect of going to prison: "This has been a big wake-up call, a very big shock for him.

"His main fear is that if he does not go home today, how will this affect his children?"

Mr Olsen told Little: "You showed a flagrant disregard for a court order disqualifying you for a long period of time and so soon after it was placed on you.

"You then committed two subsequent flagrant acts which have brought you very close to custody."

The bench chairman suggested that if Little's work was largely in the Marlborough area he should invest in a bicycle.

Little was given a community rehabilitation order for two years and ordered to pay costs of £35.