A FATHER-of-four who left his mobile phone at a house party ended up driving back for it in the early hours of the morning without his headlights on.

Burnley Crown Court heard how 29-year-old Samuel James Peter Madden, who was banned from driving, had been drinking alcohol at the party and had got a taxi home.

But fearful the phone may be stolen Madden, of Lower Hollin Bank Street, Blackburn, got into his Volkswagen Golf and attempted to drive back to retrieve it.

Prosecuting, Emma Kehoe said that around 4am on October 18 police pulled over the Volkswagen in High Street, Rishton, after seeing it had no lights on.

Ms Kehoe said: "Mr Madden was sat in the driver's seat of that vehicle. He was asked to turn the engine off and take the keys out of the ignition.Me Madden openly admitted to PC Shepherd he was disqualified and because he was disqualified he had no insurance. He said he was the registered keeper of the vehicle.

"The officer could smell intoxicants on the defendant's breath. It was for that reason he was asked to provide a roadside breath sample, which Mr Madden refused to do. He was given a number of opportunities."

Madden, who is currently unemployed but used to work as a floor layer, was arrested for failing to provide a specimen for analysis and taken to Greenbank Police Station in Blackburn.

At 8.30am the breathalyser process was resumed and again Madden refused to provide a sample.

When informed by PC Shepherd that failing to provide a specimen for analysis was a criminal offence, Madden responded by saying: "I understand it's an offence. I am not going to provide."

Madden pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

By committing those offences Madden, who has 38 convictions for 50 offences, was in breach of a suspended sentence he received at Preston Crown Court in March for failing to report an accident and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Defending, Neil Howard said his client, who has been suffering from depression, realised he had let his partner and four children down.

Mr Howard said: "On October 18 Mr Madden had attended a house party. He returned to his address in a taxi as he should have done. But then he realised he had left his mobile phone at the party. He was worried the phone might be lost or taken. He made the ill-judged and foolish decision to get into his car and drive back."

Judge Jonathan Gibson jailed Madden for 12 weeks and banned him from driving for three years and six weeks.

Madden is also set to appear before Blackburn magistrates court to answer charges of driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, failing to stop after an accident and driving without due care and attention.