A banned driver drove more than 160 miles because she feared being shunned and disowned by her family.

Alison Marie Price, of Dewsland Street, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without third-party insurance, when she appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, July 9.

Abul Hussain, prosecuting, said Price, who had been disqualified from driving on May 10, was stopped by police while driving a Fiat 500 in Dartmouth Street, Milford Haven, on May 28.

“The officer carried out checks and established that she was disqualified from driving until April 2020.”

Price, 50, told the officer she was sorry, adding that she had driven the car from Cheltenham.

Mr Hussain said: “She had driven along the M4, which is an aggravating factor. Quite a long distance was driven and the disqualification had only recently been imposed.”

Mike Kelleher, defending, said Price had driven because she was too ashamed to tell her family she had been banned.

“She clearly had not told them and was trying to keep up appearances. That may sound ridiculous, but it’s a personal thing whether you can share bad news with your family.

“She felt that her family would disown and shun her after this conviction. That has not happened, they have supported her.”

Mr Kelleher added that Price no longer had access to a vehicle.

“She says that at that time she was simply doing things on the spur of the moment. If someone asked her for help she would just do it.

Magistrates imposed 16 weeks custody, suspended for 12 months, and ordered Price to completed 180 hours of unpaid work.

She was ordered to pay £200 in costs and a surcharge.