A van driver seen using his mobile phone by a police officer while driving through Coniston Cold has been fined £300 by Skipton magistrates.

Steven Paul Robinson, 31, was stopped by a police officer as he drove on the A65 towards Skipton at 8.15am on October 1, the court heard on Friday.

Robinson, of Edge End Road, Bradford, who at the time told the officer he had been talking to a friend on the phone, failed to respond in any way to court and the case was proved in his absence.

He was also charged with failing to produce his licence. In addition to the fine, he had his licence endorsed with three penalty points and was ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victims surcharge of £30.