A DUNFERMLINE woman caught driving while disqualified claimed she thought her ban was up.

However, a sheriff was unimpressed by Gemma Muirhead’s story.

Muirhead, 39, of Inchkeith Drive, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

She admitted that on February 3 last year in Cocklaw Street, Kelty, then in Blamey Crescent and Walker Street, Cowdenbeath, she drove a car while disqualified and without insurance.

Depute fiscal Catherine Stevenson said that police officers on mobile patrol spotted Muirhead driving in Cocklaw Street and knew she was banned.

They lost sight of her vehicle but headed to her then home address in Cowdenbeath and saw Muirhead drive into the street.

Defence solicitor Aime Allan said: “It’s her position that it was a genuine mistake. She thought her ban had lapsed but it had not.”

The court was told Muirhead was regarded as being at “high risk of re-offending”.

Sheriff Francis Gill told her: “I don’t find your explanation satisfactory and you have a number of previous convictions for road traffic offences.”

He banned Muirhead from driving for 18 months and also imposed a community payback order with 120 hours of unpaid work