A banned motorist faces jail after driving to fetch medication when his toddler son suffered an asthma attack.

Neil West, 27, of Plaistow Close, Whitehawk, Brighton, was horrified to find his son Lewis's inhaler empty when the child started to have difficulty breathing, a court heard.

West rang the boy's mother, from whom he is separated. She said she had a spare inhaler and told him to bring Lewis over immediately.

Preston Dazz, prosecuting, told Brighton magistrates that West was seen by a police officer driving a Toyota pick-up in Whitehawk Way with the boy in the car at 5.10pm on April 22.

At first West, a painter and decorator, denied driving while disqualified with no insurance and no MOT. He later admitted the charges.

West told police when he was arrested: "The only reason I was driving was because my little boy was suffering an asthma attack and I took him to his mum's in Hollingbury.

"I regret driving. It was a spur of the moment thing."

Alissa Scott-Beckett, defending, told magistrates that West had sole custody of Lewis, two, as the boy's mother was suffering mental health problems.

She said: "Lewis suffers from asthma and has been admitted to hospital on a number of occasions. On this occasion he had difficulty breathing and got increasingly upset.

"Mr West wasn't thinking straight and his priority was to get Lewis to an inhaler as quickly as possible. He accepts driving was an extremely stupid thing to do."

Ms Scott-Beckett told magistrates that if West was jailed Lewis would probably go into care because of his mother's mental health and because West was not married to his girlfriend.

Magistrates were shown letters from West's employer and Lewis's mother and decided to adjourn the case for reports.