A BORDERS man who clocked up his third conviction for driving while disqualified in two years has been jailed for almost five months at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Scott Cooper of Wester Row in Greenlaw, pleaded guilty to the offence in Duns Industrial Estate on November 2.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser explained how a police officer recognised the 38-year-old driving a Volkswagen Golf entering the Farne Salmon car park and suspected he was a disqualified driver.

The officer stood in front of the vehicle to make it stop and checks revealed Cooper was banned and not insured.

Mr Fraser said Cooper's current ban was not due to expire until February 2019.

Cooper's lawyer said his client was due to attend an appointment in Galashiels at the Department of Work and Pensions and he had gone to the industrial estate so that his partner could drive when she finished work as he had been let down by someone else.

The lawyer described it as a 'stupid mistake'.

The court heard how Cooper had previous convictions for dishonesty from his time living in Ayrshire but since arriving in the Borders all his offences were for road traffic matters.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said he could not ignore it was Cooper's third conviction for driving while banned in the space of two years.

He reduced the jail sentence from 200 days to 150 days to reflect the guilty plea.

Cooper was also banned from driving for another three years.