A DEPRESSED Ipswich man who was coming to terms with the death of his younger sister forgot he was banned from driving and got behind the wheel of his car.

A DEPRESSED Ipswich man who was coming to terms with the death of his younger sister forgot he was banned from driving and got behind the wheel of his car.

Nicholas Nicholls was stopped by police on May 24 as he drove along Woodbridge Road, in Ipswich.

Appearing at South East Suffolk Magistrates Court yesterday > the 28-year-old, of Upper Cavendish Street, pleaded guilty to the driving while disqualified and four further charges – of driving without insurance or an MOT, with a defective front near side tyre and with a defective front offside tyre.

The court heard he had been stopped by police officers at about 5.35pm. They noted the defects to his front tyres and further checks indicated he was disqualified from driving.

Pat Taylor prosecuting said that when interviewed under caution Nicholls told police the car had been stored at a garage for two months and he was driving it home. He said he had forgotten the ban.

Mrs Taylor said: "He said he had been present in court at the time of his disqualification but said he had been suffering from depression and would totally forget."

Graham Skippen mitigating told the court Nicholls, who has previous convictions for driving while disqualified, had lost his younger sister to a drug overdose in August last year.

Mr Skippen said the death had happened while he was still under a community rehabilitation order. It ended a month before the latest offences and Mr Skippen added: "He is in an extremely bad way and there are a number of things still to be addressed."

Sentencing was adjourned until August 13 to allow reports to be written.