A MOTORIST has kept his freedom after he broke a ban imposed for driving a car with a man on its roof and a woman hanging out of its boot.

Last November, Daniel Atkinson, then 20, was banned from driving for 12 months for his dangerous driving at the roundabout at McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, York.

Sarah Tyler, prosecuting, told York Magistrates' Court an off-duty police officer recognised him at the wheel of an Audi A3 in Westbourne Road, Selby, on August 10.

Atkinson, of Poppy Close, Selby, pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance. He remains unable to drive without supervision until he passes an extended driving test.

District judge Michael Fanning said: “You have taken a really crazy gamble in driving whilst disqualified.”

Because Atkinson pleaded guilty he didn’t send him to jail, but ordered him to do 80 hours’ unpaid work, fined him £200 and ordered him to pay £85 prosecution costs and an £85 statutory surcharge. He put six penalty points on the provisional licence Atkinson can hold.

For him, Cheryl Rudden said Atkinson was preparing the Audi A3 for sale when he was seen. Since his arrest for dangerous driving, he had changed his friends and concentrated on his apprenticeship. He was part of his employer’s gritting rota.

Last November, magistrates saw CCTV of Atkinson driving a car round the McArthur Glen roundabout with a woman half half out of its boot. The woman got out and a man then climbed onto the roof and clung on as Atkinson drove.

Atkinson admitted dangerous driving and driving without insurance.