A MOTORIST who repeatedly ignored driving bans has been jailed.

Gintaras Bagackas was caught driving again on the A120 despite being disqualified twice during the past six months.

The 35-year-old Lithuanian accepted his fate and did not put forward any explanation for his actions during his latest appearance at Colchester Magistrates' Court yesterday.

In August Bagackas was caught drink driving in Suffolk.

He was given an interim driving ban after admitting four driving offences and, on September 28, received a suspended prison sentence of 15 weeks with unpaid work.

On September 27, despite the interim ban, Bagackas, of Primrose Walk, Colchester, was caught driving along the A120 at Marks Tey.

He appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court on November 8 and admitted driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Bagackas had continued to drive to work at Marrfish in Stansted.

At court it was claimed he did not understand he was banned from driving because of his poor English.

Despite being supported by an interpreter magistrates accepted the explanation and did not activate his suspended sentence.

Speaking at the time chairman of the bench IIona Perkins Van Mil said: "We accept because of your understanding of English being lacking your understanding of what the interim disqualification means was perhaps not as clear to you as the courts intended."

Instead he was given a second suspended sentence, this time for 12 weeks.

No extra punishment was added other than another extended driving ban.

Exactly three weeks later Bagackas was caught driving on the A120 at Marks Tey, again.

Yesterday he appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court and admitted driving while disqualified and driving without insurance, again.

Stephen Sparkes, prosecuting, told the court a member of the public had informed police Bagackas was carrying on driving regardless of being banned until February 2019.

This time magistrates were far less sympathetic.

His previous suspended sentences, of 15 and 12 weeks, were activated, and he was given another 18 weeks in jail for the latest offences.

Bagackas will now spend 45 weeks in jail and, when he is released, will be banned from driving for four years.

Chairman of the bench Malcolm Bell said: "We have no sympathy with the position you find yourself in.

"You have taken no notice of the police when they obtained a specimen on the first offence or of the order not to drive having been disqualified.

"You have done both of these again while on a suspended sentence.

"The court will not tolerate this behaviour and consequently you are going to go to prison and you will serve all the sentences.

"The law is there to be observed. It is there to be protect people going about their ordinary lives.

"People like you are rightly in prison.

"Go with the officers."

He was also ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge when he is released.