A 44-YEAR-OLD man who drove a car a short distance while disqualified has avoided a further ban at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Gabriel Brici pleaded guilty to the offence which happened outside his home in Church Lane, Hawick, on December 8.

Prosecutor India McLean said the time of the offence was 4.40pm.

She said: “Police officers were driving in a marked police car in Church Lane, Hawick, when they saw the accused reversing an Audi out of a parking space.

“But when he saw the police vehicle he went back in to the parking space.

“The officers were aware it could involve a possible disqualified driver and this was the case after they carried out the necessary checks.”

Defence lawyer Liam Alexander said it was a “slightly unusual situation” as the offence happened outside his client’s home address.

He explained Brici was about to sell the vehicle due to a previous conviction and he had gone into the vehicle to check it was all still in working order.

He said: “He insists he had driven back into the space and had not seen the police vehicle.

“He only moved it a couple of metres to check all the lights and signals were working. He had no intention of going anywhere else.”

Sheriff Peter Anderson accepted the “circumstances were a little unusual” and accepted Brici had not driven any real distance.

He said he would not impose a disqualification period but six penalty points on his licence instead along with a £480 fine and a £20 victim surcharge.