Persistence paid off for a Devonshire man who faced losing all driving privileges.

Marvin Seaman, 48, of Devon Springs Lane, was semi victorious as he left Magistrates' Court after protesting a driving ban by Senior Magistrate Will Francis.

Seaman pleaded guilty to riding while disqualified on Front Street on April 6.

He was banned from driving motorcycles and auxiliary cycles until February 1999.

But after Mr. Francis yesterday banned him from driving all motor vehicles, Seaman protested strongly that he would lose his livelihood.

But after the daily plea court session was over, duty counsel Elizabeth Christopher returned with Seaman in tow to discuss the matter with Police prosecutor Sgt. Phil Taylor who agreed to meet with Mr. Francis.

Mr. Francis returned to the bench and told Seaman: "I have to enforce the law. There are people who feel I give too many breaks. But I enforce it even if I don't like it.'' Mr. Francis told Seaman he regarded the actions of people who were caught driving while disqualified as "a piece of contempt of court''.

He added that he regarded it as very serious and his usual sentence for a driving while disqualified conviction was a 12-month ban from all vehicles.

But Ms Christopher asked Mr. Francis to consider a consecutive sentence to Seaman's current period of disqualification, as he depended on his driving licences to work as a building contractor.

Mr. Francis agreed and ordered a 12 month disqualification from auxiliary and motorcycles, consecutive to a disqualification which ends in February 1999.