A COMPANY boss who was caught speeding had put sticking plaster over the speedometer, a court was told yesterday.

Harrogate Magistrates Court heard how Clive Haynsford, 46, was distracted by the flashing speedo on his Mazda, which was caused by an alternator fault after a new engine had been fitted.

As he drove north along the A1(M) at Allerton Park, near Knaresborough, on May 11, he stopped on the hard shoulder to check the fault and decided to blank out the speedo with a plaster. But soon afterwards he was caught by police speeding at 101 mph.

Haynsford, of Gravesend, Kent, admitted the offence but pleaded with the court not to ban him from driving.

He said a ban would mean the end of his attempts to set up a company offering 500,000 car parts for sale on the Internet.

The court accepted his plea and gave him six penalty points, a fine of £150 and costs of £45.