Pullin g a fast one
Businessman says Queen’s death made him break the speed limit
A SPEEDING businessman tried to dodge a driving ban by claiming he was upset at the death of the Queen.
Andrew Peters, 63, was caught driving his Volkswagen Golf at 68mph in a 60mph variable speed zone on September 8 last year.
He was flashed by the camera on the M5 at 6.45pm – 15 minutes after Her Majesty’s death had been announced to the nation.
Mr Peters told magistrates in Worcester that he had been distracted after listening to the shock news on his car radio.
He said: “The date [of the offence] is significant. At 6.30pm, it is a matter of public record that the Queen’s death was announced on the radio. I was upset. I was distracted and I missed the sign. I was born in the 1960s, the Queen was part of my life.”
Mr Peters, from Edinburgh, already had nine points on his licence and pleaded with the court to not give him three more, which would mean an automatic ban. He told magistrates he owned a management consultancy business and payed himself £60,000 a year. He said a ban would make his life difficult. But he added: I don’t want to over-catastrophise. No one is relying on me [to be able to drive] – I want to be honest.” Magistrates rejected his defence and slapped him with a six-month ban.
Mr Peters was also fined £384 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £154.
Russell Williams, chair of the magistrates’ bench, said the court had found no evidence of “exceptional hardship” in his case.
I was upset, I was born in the 60s.. the Queen was part of my life
ANDREW PETER ON WHY HE BROKE SPEED LIMIT