A MOTHER broke down in tears after a judge told her that her son would not serve prison time.

Steven Mitchell, of Woolford Way, Winklebury appeared at Winchester Crown Court on Friday last week for sentencing after running a series of red lights in March.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to one count of dangerous driving, one count of driving without insurance, one count of failing to stop and one count of being unfit to drive through drugs.

However, the court heard that due to having no previous convictions and looking after his mother who was recently diagnosed with a muscle degenerating disease, recorder Don Tait chose to impose a eight months jail sentence but suspend it for two years.

The court heard that on March 19 this year police officers had spotted Mitchell’s sliver Vauxhall Astra driving through a bus-only route at around 11.20pm.

When officers followed, Mitchell proceeded to go through a red light, where police indicated for him to pull over only for him to continue to drive off and run through two more red lights.

Prosecuting Mark Ashley said: “Once he stopped he instantly admitted ‘I have no insurance or MOT’. He was given a drugs whip where the results showed a level of cocaine well above the legal limit.”

Defending Mitchell, Lisa Stewart told the court the defendant knew the car needed an MOT and he was looking to store the vehicle somewhere until he, as a trained mechanic, could carry out the MOT.

She said: “When we saw the police cars lights he panicked as he knew he didn’t have any MOT.”

Miss Stewart added that he currently does all the work for his mother at her stables as she was diagnosed with a muscle degenerating disease.

A clearly emotional Mitchell was wiping tears from his face as in sentencing recorder Tait turned to his mother and said “Mrs Turner I am not sending your son to prison” at which point she broke down crying.

In passing a suspended sentence recorder Tait said: “You will be walking on eggshells with this verdict hanging over you.

“Go home and support your mother because she needs it.”

Mitchell was sentenced to eight months in jail suspended for two years for dangerous driving and not further action on the other counts.

He has been banned from driving for one year and must complete 100 hours of unpaid work.