A PROLIFIC crook who was seen driving while banned on a pavement near a children's centre on his mobile phone has been jailed.

Peter Lawton, 37, was spotted by police in Branch Road, Burnley, on March 20 last year.

Lawton has 76 previous convictions including three for banned driving and three for obstructing police, two of them during a suspended jail term.

The defendant, of Thursfield Road, Burnley, admitted disqualified driving, using a mobile telephone while driving and police obstruction.

He was locked up for 27 weeks and banned for two years.

Laura Barbour, prosecuting, said police in Burnley saw Lawton using his mobile phone while driving.

They saw him mount the pavement, near to Burnley Wood Children's Centre, drive along it, continue along Brunswick Street and squeeze between bollards.

The defendant was followed into the club, an officer got hold of his arm and the defendant told him: "Let go of me. I will come outside."

Miss Barbour said Lawton gave another name and a date of birth close to his brother's.

The defendant was rooting in his pocket and dropped something which the police thought might be drugs parhernalia. He was searched and a card with his name on was found in his wallet.

Lawton refused to be handcuffed for a few minutes and when his home was searched, a taser was found.

Adam Watkins, defending Lawton, said the defendant had no business getting behind the wheel while banned, would cope with custody without any great difficulty. But, prison would have an impact on his business which he had worked hard to get up and running and his family.

Sentencing, Judge Graham Knowles said it was quite obvious the defendant ought to have been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The judge said Lawton's pre-sentence report stated he had demonstrated risk taking behaviour. He continued :" From my point of view, you were defying a court order and when you were caught defying it you were trying to fool the officers who had to enforce the law."