Magistrates told a banned driver he was "within a whisker of being sent straight to prison".

At Didcot Court, Michael Parry, 19, of Columbian Way, Grove, admitted driving a Ford Orion in St John's Road, Grove, while disqualified on June 10.

He had been banned for two years by Oxford Crown Court last year for taking and driving cars without consent, driving while disqualified and without insurance.

Helen Waite, prosecuting, said Parry had initially given police a false name when he was stopped in Grove - but gave his correct name as police were checking his details on their radio.

Parry told the court: "I should not have done it. I don't want to go to prison. I have sorted myself out since last year and I have got a job and calmed down."

For driving while disqualified, Parry was sentenced to a 120-hour community punishment order.

He was fined £300 with six penalty points after admitting driving without insurance, and there was no separate penalty for having no MoT certificate, to which he also pleaded guilty.

Magistrates ordered that a conditional discharge should continue when Parry admitted being in breach of an earlier discharge, and he was ordered to pay £55 costs.