A HGV driver was allowed to keep his driving licence despite speeding offences taking him beyond the 12 point threshold.

Stephen Wake, of York Terrace, Chester-le-Street, admitted two charges of driving a Scania lorry at excess speed when he appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The 47-year-old was caught driving at 47mph on a 40mph stretch of the A66 at Kirkby Thore, near Penrith, on January 25 and at 36mph in a 30mph zone in Bacup, Lancashire, on May 8.

As his licence was already endorsed with six penalty points, the three he received for each offence meant he reached the usual disqualification limit of 12.

Kevin Campbell, mitigating, said Wake had an ‘exceptional record without incident’ for employers of 13 years AMX Services Ltd and does about 120,000 miles a year on the road. Mr Campbell said apart from the speed there was no suggestion the driving was dangerous.

Wake told the court he drives his grandparents, who are aged 94 and 95 and in ill health, to the shops and medical appointments and if he lost his job, which was inevitable if he could not drive, he faced having to sell the home he shares with his partner, whose job is insecure.

Magistrates accepted a driving ban would cause hardship and for each offence he received three penalty points, a £170 fine and was ordered to pay costs of £85 and a £30 victims surcharge.