A LOTHERSDALE man caught speeding for the fourth time in three years was banned from driving for six months by Skipton magistrates.

Steven Myers, 33, admitted speeding on the A59 at Beamsley Hill on October 1 at an earlier hearing, but claimed exceptional hardship in that he would be instantly dismissed from his job working with vulnerable young people across Yorkshire.

The court heard that Myers was doing 63mph in his BMW 116 in the 50mph zone when he was caught by a police safety camera van. He already had nine points on his licence for three separate offences, the court was told, in 2015 and 2016.

John Mewies, for Myers, said not only would he be instantly dismissed by his employer, but the young people he worked with would also suffer.

Myers, said Mr Mewies, was a sector manager for Hospital Training Industry Ltd, a government backed company that trained people to work in hotels, pubs, restaurants and school kitchens.

He travelled around 3,000 miles every month meeting up with the apprentices, mentoring them and supporting them in their leaning.

The court also heard from Myers' line manager, Graham Knott, who said he currently worked with 27 apprentices and that it was likely they would disengage from the programme without Myers' input.

"Without Steve in position, this people would disengage with the programme and have another bad experience in education, " he said.

But magistrates told Myers he was an intelligent and astute man who had been well aware he was driving with nine points on his licence. They said they had been left with a conundrum but speeding was a serious matter that caused accidents.

"If anybody should have been careful with nine points on his licence, it should have been you," they said.

For speeding on October 1, Myers, of The Fold, Lothersdale, had three points on his licence, making him a totter and giving him an automatic ban of six months. He was also fined £140, with costs of £85 and surcharge of £30.