A SELBY woman has appeared in court after she was caught driving less than two months after being disqualified.

Agnieszka Sylwia Kaczoch, 42, of Ousegate, Selby, appeared at York Magistrates’ Court on Friday and pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

The court heard Kaczoch was seen driving a Volkswagen Passat in Selby in the early hours of March 8, by North Yorkshire Police officers who recognised her from the drink-driving offence which led to her ban in January.

Martin Butterworth, prosecuting, said police followed the car, and saw Kaczoch exit the vehicle and run from the scene, but caught up with her, confirmed she had been disqualified from driving, and arrested her.

Jacky East, for Kaczoch, said her client - who came to the UK last June from Poland - had been giving a lift to a friend when she was seen by police and admitted driving while disqualified but denied running from the vehicle.

She said Kaczoch had held a driving licence for “almost 20 years without issue, and it is fair to say she was deeply embarrassed and lacked any support following her drink-driving conviction”.

Ms East said: “She is struggling in society at the present time. She would struggle in a custodial environment, and would struggle further on release.

“She is trying to make a better life for herself but is clearly struggling through a combination of wrong decision-making and lack of support.”

Magistrate Bernard Everitt sentenced Kaczoch to three months in prison, but suspended the sentence for 12 months.

He also ordered Kaczoch to complete 100 hours of unpaid work in the community, and extended her driving disqualification to a total of 41 months, meaning she will not be eligible to drive until July 2018.

Mr Everitt told Kaczoch: “You should be in no doubt that if you breach this order, you will serve your custodial sentence.”

Kaczoch was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £80.