Karl Keeshan handed over an unopened letter from the DVLA informing him of the ban, which had started two months earlier.

The 40-year-old appeared before Peterborough magistrates on Monday (July 19) – five days after the six-month disqualification finished.

But he left court with another three-month ban for driving while disqualified.

Keeshan had been pulled over on the A15 in Peterborough on March 7.

Prosecutor Peace Egbulefu said: “On his back seat was an unopened letter from [the] DVLA dated January this year confirming the disqualification.

“He provided this to the officers as a form of identification.”

Keeshan, of Charlton Crescent, Hampton Vale, was banned last January under the totting-up procedure. He told police the reason he had not attended court was because he was unaware of the hearing as he had not been opening his post.

He pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and having no insurance.

In mitigation, Keeshan said: “I was shocked [about the ban] when I was pulled over.

“Since then I’ve been cycling to work every day and paying for taxis.”

As well as the fresh disqualification, Keeshan was fined £480 and ordered to pay £105 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

There was no separate penalty for the insurance offence.