A BANNED driver teetering under a suspended prison sentence gave his old motorbike a run-out before selling it, a court heard.

Carl Matischok’s foolish actions cost him his liberty as he was spotted by police and Judge Niclas Parry activated part of the defendant’s previous punishment imposed for a dangerous driving charge arising from a police car chase in Chester.

This time Matischok wanted to check his bike was riding properly after completing work on it, but Mold Crown Court heard how he was under a driving ban following the incident on November 27 last year.

Prosecuting barrister Clare Bate said then the defendant sped off from police and went the wrong way around a roundabout twice and collided with other vehicles with the police in chase down Liverpool Road.

He was handed a 12-month suspended sentence, but Judge Parry told Matischok as he jailed him for 10 months, including activating eight months of his previous sentence: “To describe the chance you were given at Chester Crown Court as remarkable is an understatement.

“You were sentenced then for a dreadful example of dangerous driving, a police chase at high speed.

“It was made clear that breaching that order would end in custody. Driving while disqualified is a flagrant breach.”

Matischok was made subject to the suspended sentence on May 31 this year.

But police spotted him on Mold Road in Buckley less than four months later on September 9 and pulled him up after noticing a number plate infringement. When they made a PNC check they found he was a disqualified driver.

The defendant’s counsel, Alun Williams, said: “It is regrettable he has committed this offence as he was making good progress with his rehabilitation.

“He’d had the bike for a period of time and intended to sell it. Unfortunately he wanted to check it was driving properly.

“He only went a short distance and he didn’t make any attempt to ride away which is a positive bearing in mind his last conviction.”

Matischok, 23, of Alun Road, Buckley pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and driving without valid insurance.

He was banned for six months, while his previous community order was revoked.