CUMBRIAN rally ace Malcolm Wilson has been fined after police caught him driving at more than 100mph on the motorway.
The 67-year-old motor sport company boss, who lives near Cockermouth, committed the speeding offence as he drove his Porsche on the M6 southbound near Kendal on Thursday, April 27.
At Carlisle's Rickergate court, prosecutor Fiona Campbell said the defendant reached 101mph as he drove past Old Hutton, drawing the attention of a police patrol. He was spotted by a police officer at 9.10am and pulled over four minutes later.
The prosecutor said: “The black coloured Porsche was being driven southbound on the M6 at Old Hutton, towards Junction 36, and the driver was travelling in lane three at a much greater speed than other vehicles on the same stretch of road.”
Barry Warburton, defending, told magistrates: “He’s a married man - happily married, with a grown-up family, and he does 40,000 miles per annum – something like four times the national average.”
That driving was all business related, said the lawyer.
The lawyer pointed out that Wilson – a former British rally winner – is managing director of the Dovenby based M-Sport outfit, earning £120,000 per year. His disposable income, said Mr Warburton, was £450 per week.
The lawyer continued: “He passed his test in 1974 and he has never been involved in a single accident. He has had a full no-claims bonus throughout that period. Clearly, he is a very safe driver.”
If banned, Wilson would have to employ a driver, said the lawyer.
The court heard that Wilson admitted the speeding offence at the first opportunity.
Magistrates heard that Wilson already has three points on his licence. For the speeding offence, they imposed a further six points, bringing his current total to nine, and therefore avoiding the risk of a ban.
They also imposed a fine of £1,666, along with a £666 surcharge and costs of £110, so that Wilson now owes the court £2,442. He was given 28 days to pay.
In 2009, Wilson was awarded an OBE – an honour that he said was recognition for him and his team at M-Sport. He has more than 20 years’ experience of rallying at world championship level and is one of Cumbria’s best known sporting successes.
He was unable to attend the court hearing because he was out of the country, but his defence lawyer was legally allowed to represent him in his absence, magistrates were told.
Drivers are at risk of a "totting up" ban if they accumulate 12 points in any three year period. Such bans are sometimes avoided if the defendant can prove the ban would cause exceptional hardship.
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