DISQUALIFIED drink driver David Medley hired a car and drove it around Exeter because it was the only way he could make important medical appointments, a court heard.

Medley, who is waiting for a kidney transplant, admitted two charges of driving while disqualified, two of driving without insurance and two fraud charges at Exeter Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Prosecutor Mark Barton said 53-year-old Medley had been banned from driving at the court on Friday, August 6, for being behind the wheel while over the drink-drive limit.

He was followed from the building by a police officer who saw him get into a Renault Megane. He was re-arrested and charged with driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

The court was then told he did not forfeit his driving licence as required and used it to fraudulently hire a car and get an insurance policy from Europcar in Exeter a week later.

"He did not tell them that he was disqualified and obtained the rental of a car and insurance, which would not have been valid in any case," Mr Barton told the court.

He said the defendant had been banned from driving in 2000 for driving with excess alcohol in his bloodstream and was convicted of failing to provide a blood sample for police in 2001.

Medley's defence council, Jennifer Stetson, said her client had a large number of serious health concerns. "He is very unwell," she told magistrates.

"He recently contracted a virus which appears to be life-threatening, all his immune systems shut down and he had a 100 per cent failure of the epidermis.

"He has an enlarged heart and has kidney failure which cannot be treated by dialysis so he is on the waiting list for a kidney transplant."

She said her client, of Devondale Court, Dawlish Warren, had been heavily reliant on his car because he had to attend numerous medical appointments around Devon.

The bus service to Dawlish Warren had been cancelled two months ago, the court heard.

Ms Stetson said her client had been taking his car to his brother's house for safekeeping on August 6 after his court appearance and had not intended to drive it far.

The case was adjourned until 10am on Friday, October 8, for a pre-sentence report.

Medley was released on bail.