A Great Clifton man who was banned from the roads for totting up after being convicted in his absence of a driving offence has had his conviction set aside.

West Cumbria Magistrates' Court in Workington heard that Peter Smith, 59, of Riverside, was driving his Jaguar car when it was captured by a fixed speed camera in Cheshire on December 3 last year.

The vehicle was travelling at 36mph in a 30mph zone.

But the court heard that Smith had not received initial letters regarding the speeding offence and had been convicted in his absence of failing to say who had been driving the car, which resulted in him being disqualified from driving on the grounds of totting up.

When he learned of the conviction, he contacted the court.

Magistrates in Workington set aside his initial conviction and accepted Smith's guilty plea to speeding.

He was fined £213 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 surcharge.

He was also given three penalty points on his driving licence.