'Paperwork error' meant man lost driving job when he 'thought he'd been banned'

Stephen Phillip Payne, aged 62, of Parkdale, had been caught by an automatic speed camera in an Audi at Trench Lock on April 16, 2022, where there is a 30mph limit.

The speed limit in the area was signified by street lighting placed at less than 200-yard intervals.

Payne had admitted the charge and had been convicted at Worcestershire Magistrates' Court on November 11, 2022.

But Telford Magistrates Court was told when it sat on November 2 this year that Payne had not been told either by the DVLA or the court that a driving ban had been set aside.

In the meantime Payne had lost his job as a heavy goods vehicle driver and could not take his disabled wife to appointments or help his son, the court heard.

The court record of proceedings says that the magistrates confirmed that there would be no totting disqualification because of the mitigating circumstances when they handed down the sentence.

It reads: "We have listened to your evidence on oath and realise that you thought that you were disqualified from driving as you had received a letter from the DVLA to that effect.

"Unfortunately you were not advised by either the DVLA or the court that this had been set aside and so you lost your job as an HGV driver and could not take your disabled wife to appointments or help your son.

"In view of this and the six-month ban that you thought you had received and adhered to and the fact that the offence is now over 18 months old we find that there are mitigating circumstances not to disqualify you."

The court also decided not to impose costs on Payne because of his means.

But they fined him £40, ordered him to pay a victims surcharge of £34 and put three points on his driving licence.

Magistrates took Payne's guilty plea into account when imposing sentence and told him to arrange to pay the £74 he owes the Crown.