Former Arsenal player Jermaine Pennant has been spared a driving ban after he admitted driving without insurance to pick up his partner, who had broken her foot.

Pennant was pulled over by the police while driving his Audi A5 S Line without insurance on the A406 eastbound on 2 September last year, Highbury Magistrates' Court previously heard.

The 43-year-old ex-winger was handed a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a £26 victim surcharge after the judge found he had special reasons as to why he should not be disqualified.

The six-month conditional discharge means the former footballer and pundit will keep his licence provided he does not commit any offences in that time.

Pennant told district judge Vanessa Lloyd on Monday that his cover had expired on 1 September last year.

He said he had been shopping around for a new policy when his partner, who had injured her foot, called to ask him to drive her home from hospital.

The former Liverpool FC footballer said he had purchased one-day insurance 10 minutes before being pulled over but had not realised it would not take effect immediately.

Prosecutor Deborah Kol put to Pennant that body-worn footage appeared to show him purchasing the insurance in the car, but he insisted he had been trying to open the insurance app to show officers he had cover.

"I wasn't purchasing anything. I was trying to get the insurance up, that's what I was trying to get up to show," he added.

Pennant, who had previously denied the offence, said he changed his plea once the insurance company explained to him the policy did not activate immediately.

He told the court he had "messed up by 10 minutes" but understood that "rules are rules".

Judge Lloyd said Pennant would not have points added to his driving licence on the basis that he was "misled" by his insurance app and that he believed the policy would take effect immediately.

It comes more than 20 years after he served a one-month prison sentence for a drink-driving conviction.

The then 22-year-old became the first Premier League footballer to play a match wearing an electronic tag when he appeared for Birmingham City 48 hours after his release.