A YOUNG soldier fighting for his country in Iraq has been convicted of speeding - even though the case should have been put on hold until he gets back.

Gunner Kevin Uttley, who is normally based at Catterick, was fined £60, ordered to pay £45 costs and given four penalty points at a hearing in his absence on March 12.

But his angry mother said court officials had promised her the case would be put on hold until after 20-year-old Gnr Uttley had returned to England.

"I was devastated because they had promised me, and I had taken them at their word," said Mrs Uttley, of Hamilton Drive, in York.

"He is out fighting for his Queen and country, and the British justice system has let him down."

Justices' chief executive Paul Bradley has since written to the soldier to apologise and say the case would be reheard when he returned to the country.

Mrs Uttley had thought that would be the end of the matter - until she received a letter last week from the DVLA addressed to her son.

It said he had been convicted of an endorsable offence, but had not produced his driving licence to the court for endorsement.

It asked him to send his licence to the DVLA with a form for endorsement. And it warned: "If your licence has not been endorsed and you do not comply with the instructions above within the next four weeks, we may have to revoke your driving licence."

Mrs Uttley said she had since contacted the DVLA and been assured that its action had been put on hold.

Justices' clerk Gordon Lees said a note attached to Gnr Uttley's file, asking for the case to be put on hold, had disappeared and when the case went before the bench, magistrates had imposed the fine unaware of the soldier's circumstances.