A DISQUALIFIED driver who pretended to be his brother twice has been put behind bars.

A stunned Ricky Buddle, 31, of Nelson Road, Bournemouth, cried when Judge Samuel Wiggs sentenced him to eight months in prison.

It comes after the court heard how Buddle had been disqualified from driving in 2002 after being caught driving dangerously and under the influence of alcohol.

For those offences he served 10 months in prison. Upon release he did not take a retest.

On April 16 this year he was stopped whilst driving a black BMW 5 Series and gave the police false details claiming he was Stefan Buddle, who is his brother.

Following documents being sent to his brother, who knew nothing of his brother's actions, he contacted the police.

Buddle was arrested in October and made a full confession.

He pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified, perverting the course of justice and driving without insurance.

It transpires that Buddle also used his brother's identity a previous time when he was caught driving whilst disqualified.

As a result of this, the court heard that Buddle is now estranged from both his brother and mother.

In defence his barrister Mr Smith said that on the day he was caught driving Buddle had concerns about his girlfriend Nadine and had collected her from hospital.

He said that Buddle had become addicted to cocaine whilst in prison and that he has since saved £1,000 to pay for his own drugs rehabilitation course.

He has been drug-free for 18 months but feared that being sentenced to prison could cause a relapse.

Judge Wiggs said: “I understand these were difficult circumstances but there are other ways to get there.

“You once again drove disqualified and once again gave your brother's details.”

He was sentenced to two months in prison for driving whilst disqualified and six months for perverting the course of justice, to run consecutively.