A BANNED motorist gave his brother's details when police stopped him, a court heard yesterday.

Ricky Prakash Parmar was stopped in Dearden Street, Little Lever, as he drove around in a Honda Prelude. Only when he was taken to the police station did he give officers his real name and address. He also admitted he had no insurance. Parmar, aged 19, of Ashbourne Avenue, Bolton, appealed against a three-month youth custody sentence imposed by Bolton magistrates.

He had been convicted of driving while disqualified, obstructing police officers and driving without insurance.

Prosecutor Benjamin Myers said Parmar's previous criminal record showed offences of theft, possession of Class A and Class B drugs and possession of counterfeit currency, and a number of cautions. Graham Robinson, defending, said Parmar had been banned under the totting up procedure and argued that the magistrates' sentence was too long, considering his relative youth, no previous convictions for disqualified driving and that it was his first taste of custody.

Judge Martin Steiner, sitting with two magistrates as an appeal court, agreed that three months was too long and reduced the sentence by one month.