SEEING the headlines of “Banned Driver in 4X4 Rampage” (Echo, Jan 14) really saddens me. One of my friends is a magistrate and about a week ago we were talking and I commented on the amount of vehicle crime in the North-East that was reported in The Northern Echo. He told men he had a driver before him recently who was prosecuted for travelling at135mph in the 50mph limit from Ramside Hall to East Rainton – that is 85mph over the stipulated speed limit.

I asked, “Did he go down” ie “Did he do time?” My friend told me: “We are not allowed to imprison speeding drivers.”

Surely twerps like this need a short sharp shock of the clink.

The reason that that stretch of dual carriageway is a 50mph limit is that the junction across from West Rainton to Pittington is probably one of the worst in the North-East especially if someone is travelling at 135mph towards you.

Far too many banned drivers just continue to drive as is frequently reported in our brilliant Northern Echo.

Malcolm Rolling, Carrville.