A 21-year-old engineer has been ordered to carry out community service after being found guilty of riding a motorised skateboard while disqualified from driving.

Colin Francis was ordered to serve 40 hours community service for riding one of the machines.

Magistrates at Southend also banned him from driving for 12 months, with six penalty points on his licence, and ordered him to pay costs of �263.

After sentencing, his solicitor Philip Crapnell told the Bench the machines, which were like a child's scooter with an engine on the back, did not fit into the current Road Traffic Act which caused difficulties for the police and the public.

Go-Peds are mopeds

Mr Francis was found guilty on Wednesday of driving while banned after a court ruled his "Go-Ped" was a motor vehicle.

He was stopped by police while riding the toy-like vehicle in July - a week after officers had been told that Go-Peds should be classed as mopeds.

The vehicles could reach 20mph with a 22cc engine and would need a licence, according to the Home Office.

Francis, from Rochford, Essex, had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The defence said the Go-Ped had no brakes, seat or horn and was never intended for the public highway.

Pre-sentence reports were ordered because breaching a previous court order not to drive was so serious that a prison sentence could have been appropriate.

Outside court, Mr Crapnell said he may appeal against conviction and sentence.

Mr Francis said: "I am gutted. I thought they would slap me on the wrist. How was I supposed to know it was illegal. I see 12-year-old kids riding them. It's a stupid situation.

"They are making me a scapegoat while they try to sort out the law."

Won appeal

Earlier this year a man who was banned from driving after being convicted of being drunk in charge of a Go-Ped won his appeal against his sentence.

Go-Peds were introduced in the US in the late 80s, but have only started appearing in the UK in the past few years.

They are powered by a 1.2-horsepower motor and cost around �500.

There have been calls in the US for Go-Peds to be banned after a 16-year-old rider died when he collided with a car in Arizona last year.