Tory MP Paul Bristow who wants crackdown on motorists loses his licence after he was caught travelling at 26mph over the limit
- Paul Bristow, 42, was clocked driving his Toyota 4X4 at 76mph in a 50mph zone
- He called for speeding crackdown but this was the MP’s third speeding offence
- He must pay a £667 fine, plus a victim surcharge of £68 and £110 court costs
A Tory MP who called for a speeding crackdown yesterday lost his licence after he was caught driving at 26mph over the limit.
Paul Bristow, 42, was clocked driving his Toyota 4X4 at 76mph in a 50mph zone.
It was the Peterborough MP’s third speeding offence in two years.
Paul Bristow, 42, was clocked driving his Toyota 4X4 at 76mph in a 50mph zone
Peterborough magistrates handed Bristow, pictured, a 28-day ban after he pleaded guilty to speeding on the A1 on November 12, 2020.
Bristow’s solicitor, Nick Diable, said the MP ‘had been to take his mum home, and was returning to go back to work’.
He did not attend court but was ‘there in spirit’, Mr Diable added.
‘He wishes he’d paid more attention to his speed.’
Bristow must also pay a £667 fine, plus a victim surcharge of £68 and £110 court costs.
In a column in his local paper, the politician said he dismissed advice to claim mitigating circumstances.
He wrote: ‘I need to be able to campaign about speeding on residential streets without any suggestion of hypocrisy. Only by asking to be disqualified can I look constituents in the eye.’
Magistrates were told Bristow already had six points on his licence, with speeding offences recorded on April 14 2019 and April 16 2020. He was given three points for each offence.
Bristow’s solicitor, Nick Diable, said the MP ‘had been to take his mum home, and was returning to go back to work’
Mr Diable added: ‘There is not a large amount to say – 70 in a 50, he had been to take his mum home, and he was returning to go back to work.
‘He said it was on a dual carriageway, with a couple of cars around. He said it was fairly light traffic, and he was keeping pace with other vehicles.
‘He recognises the offence falls in the most serious category. He apologises and regrets his actions, and wishes he had paid more attention to his speed.’
Presiding magistrate Dr David Wilkinson said: ‘We note Mr Bristow pleaded guilty to the offence of speeding. We also note two recent speeding offences.’
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