A banned Sunderland driver was caught at the wheel after he agreed to do a favour for a friend who had been rushed into hospital, a court heard.

Kevin Chambers, 31, set off to drive a Ford Transit van to a garage as asked, despite being only halfway into a 20-month disqualification.

He was pulled over by police who thought he was speeding.

placeholder image — He was pulled over by police who thought he was speeding.

But Chambers, of Brandling Street, Roker, was spotted speeding by police travelling towards him on the A1231 dual carriageway on Thursday, October 23.

They spun their vehicle around and caught up with him in Hendon Road East, Hendon, magistrates in South Tyneside were told.

Prosecutor Lauren Fisher said Chambers confessed to officers at the roadside he was disqualified.

At court, he pleaded guilty to committing that offence and was banned for an additional six-months and handed a 12-month community order.

Ms Fisher said: “Police were on duty in the Sunderland area when they saw the defendant’s vehicle travelling at speed on the A1231.

“They believed the vehicle was travelling well in excess of the speed limit. The defendant complied with being stopped.

“The defendant got out of the driver’s seat. The officers ran checks, and the defendant also confirmed that he was a disqualified driver.

“The disqualification came about from a previous conviction which was failing to provide a sample for analysis.

“For that, he was banned from driving for 20 months on December 18, 2024.”

In a report, the Probation Service confirmed Chambers had driven after a friend was taken to hospital.

Gerry Armstrong, defending, said Chambers had suffered recent tragedy and ill health and was seeking support for personal issues.

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Mr Armstrong added: “It’s a very, very unremarkable incident. The police see his vehicle.

“They are going in the opposite direction and get the impression that it’s going above the limit.

“There’s absolutely no information about what the speed limit was or how a vehicle coming the opposite direction was speeding.

“The police turned their vehicle around. He had stopped at traffic lights, and he knew that they wanted to speak to him and pulled over into a car park.”

Chambers’ community order has up to 10 rehabilitation days, and he must pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.