Licence Saved at Fort William

The accused in this particular case had the unenviable honour of experiencing his first brush with a criminal court following an uninterrupted 45 year driving career.  To add to his woes, the speeding charge libelled travelling at 101mph in a 60mph limit on the A82 at Glencoe so, even with a clean driving licence, a Court would be perfectly entitled to impose a discretionary disqualification in lieu of penalty points.

Advice was tendered as to the options available to him in answering the charge and he took the sensible decision to enter a guilty plea at the earliest available opportunity.  We were instructed to represent his interests at the hearing.  Despite the distance required to travel and need for an overnight stay at one of Fort William’s plentiful lodgings, it was also advised that he should appear personally with us as the case was far too serious to be dealt with in his absence.

We retained confidence that the presiding Justice may be persuaded in the circumstances to refrain from banning our client.  His livelihood depends on holding a driving licence, the offence was committed over a short distance in otherwise propitious weather and traffic conditions and, of course, there was the significance of a hitherto unblemished record. 

Having heard us in mitigation, the judge was indeed receptive to our submissions.  The early resolution afforded our client a reduction in his sentence from the 3 month ban considered appropriate; instead 6 penalty points were endorsed on his licence.  The fine was likewise limited to £400.