(Image: Newsquest)
A drink driver caught riding a motorcycle in the early stages of his driving ban has been given a suspended prison sentence.
York magistrates also extended Billy Joe Hannigan’s ban. He now cannot drive or ride a motorcycle until October 2029.
The 29-year-old, who has a long criminal history, initially tried to convince police he didn’t know about his driving ban when they spotted him on a Kawasaki in Wilberforce Avenue, Clifton, said Georgina Fishwick, prosecuting.
But he quickly accepted that he did know about the 40-month driving ban he had received four months earlier.
Hannigan, of Southfield Crescent, Dringhouses, pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified. Magistrates gave him an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 12 months on condition he does 15 days’ rehabilitative activities. They extended his driving ban for nine months until October 2029.
Duty solicitor Liam Jackson said Hannigan had been going through a difficult period in his life and had poor mental health. He had tried to get himself sectioned and had used the mental health crisis team.
Ms Fishwick said Hannigan was banned for 40 months in September 2025 for drink driving when he was also sentenced to a community order.
Police spotted him breaking the ban on January 5.
Magistrates revoked the community order and converted it into an eight-week suspended sentence concurrently with the suspended sentence passed on the riding whilst disqualified offence.