A DROITWICH Spa chef is starting a six-month jail sentence for lying to a court about a driving conviction.

Keith Loader, 28, of Worcester Road, had six penalty points put on his licence when he was summoned at Carlisle for not having a licence or insurance.

When he was prosecuted at Worcester in April last year for a similar offence he made a false declaration that he was unaware of the previous conviction and penalty.

Alex Warren, prosecuting, said Loader was contacted by the Carlisle court but made the declaration, which made him liable to prosecution.

Mark Sheward, for Loader, said he had been convicted in his absence at Carlisle and it was some time before he became aware of the result.

But Judge Robert Juckes QC said Loader had ignored an offer by the Carlisle court to straighten matters out. Had Worcester magistrates known of the previous penalty points, Loader would have been disqualified as a "totter" with another six points.

It had been a form of perjury as Loader made the false declaration by lying that he knew nothing of the previous penalty. Consequences would be serious to anyone who tried to mislead courts.

The judge imposed a six-month disqualification and an £80 victim impact surcharge.