Taxi driver had fifty convictions

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An Antrim man who worked as a taxi driver even though he was banned from driving has been jailed for 19 months.

Darren Raymond Lennox from Linenhall Street, Ballymena, was banned for five years and fined £1,000 at Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday.

He has 50 convictions for driving while banned. He was caught using a car as a taxi on the Ormeau Road last December

Lennox admitted two charges of driving whilst disqualified, two of having no insurance and one of theft of diesel.

A prosecuting lawyer told the court that Lennox went into a filling station at Grand Parade, Belfast, on 30 October 2005 and filled his car with £55 of diesel for which he could not pay.

She added that Lennox left his name and contact details and told the shop assistant he lived a short distance away and would come back with the money.

'Difficult situation'

However, he did not return and his details were circulated by police, who did not apprehend him until May this year.

Lennox, who appeared on two separate bills of indictment, admitted the charges.

A defence lawyer said Lennox had "placed himself, once again, in an exceptionally difficult situation".

He said that despite numerous chances being offered to Lennox by the courts there "seems to be little or no solution" to his offending behaviour.

Handing down the jail term, Judge Tom Burgess said there was "no alternative" to the prison sentence.

He said the fact that Lennox had worked as a taxi driver while banned from driving was an "aggravating and serious matter."