An Ipswich man has been jailed after being caught driving while disqualified for a third time in less than three years.

James Alele was spotted behind the wheel of his Land Rover in Woodbridge Road on Tuesday - less than two months after being banned from the road and handed a suspended prison sentence for drink-driving.

Police recognised the Freelander as the same vehicle Alele had been caught driving on October 22 with 52 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit being 35mcg.

The 42-year-old, of Dover Road, appeared before magistrates on Wednesday to admit breaching an 18-week suspended sentence, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Colette Harper, prosecuting, said Alele was handed a 19-month drink-driving ban in January 2016, and caught driving while disqualified in January 2017 and March 2019, before landing a suspended sentence, unpaid work and a 40-month ban in October.

"He shows a complete disregard for court orders," Mrs Harper told magistrates, before asking them to deprive Alele of the vehicle police seized for being uninsured - and which he had used in the commission of a further offence.

Declan Gallagher, mitigating, said Alele's offences were committed against a "sad personal background".

He said the father-of-four travelled to Uganda shortly after being banned from driving in October to attend his wife's funeral.

While there, said Mr Gallagher, Alele's father also died at the age of 101.

Upon his return, Alele was admitted to hospital with malaria and a suspected parasitic illness.

"He was discharged and told to go immediately to his GP for further testing and to receive medication," said Mr Gallagher.

"With that in mind, and with his judgement skewed, he decided to drive to expedite matters.

"Not wanting to be in public, but having just been disqualified, he made a rash decision."

Magistrates said Alele was responsible for a "litany of motoring offences", failing to respond to court orders and showing complete disregard for the safety of other road users.

They activated the suspended sentence, imposed another 18 weeks' custody, banned Alele from driving for four years and impounded his vehicle.