A WOMAN who had accumulated 12 points on her licence after being caught speeding for a fourth time has persuaded magistrates to let her keep driving.

Brenda Dyall, 78, of Townhead Court, Settle, was distraught when she appeared before Skipton magistrates on Friday for an exceptional hardship hearing after amassing enough penalty points for her to be disqualified.

She had been charged with travelling at 38mph in Barrel Sykes, Settle, in her Peugeot 107 at 11.58am on September 27 last year.

The speed limit along that stretch of Langcliffe Road is 30 mph.

She had pleaded guilty to the charge on May 25 this year. when she already had amassed nine points.

The conviction brought her into the ‘totting up’ category and the case was adjourned to Friday’s date to consider disqualification which would see her lose her licence for a total of six months.

Mrs Dyall, a widow, who is hard of hearing and used hearing aids, had a friend with her to help her answer the bench.

Sobbing, she said she ‘desperately’ needed her car saying her car ‘was her life’.

She said she needed to be able to continue driving in order to collect medication for herself twice weekly from surgeries in Hellifield and Settle.

She also needed it for shopping and for voluntary work.

She said she helped out locally getting shopping for people as part of her voluntary work for Age UK.

“I have no family and can’t afford taxis. My car is my life,” she said.

She added her husband had died and there was no one else who could help out.

“I often help out others as a volunteer with Age UK by running errands, getting shopping and giving people a lift.

“I will help anyone if anyone needs anything,” she said.

Despite struggling to hear and understand the legal advisor and the bench much of the time, Dyall was helped by her friend and told the court she was remorseful of her conviction.

The chairman of the bench said they were not going to disqualify her on this occasion and would give her the benefit of the doubt.

They said she must stick to the speed limit in future and that if she came to court again within three years she would not be able to plead an exceptional hardship.

She was given three penalty points and ordered to pay a total of £205 in fines and costs.

She was informed that since her conviction last year a number of points amassed earlier had now gone from her licence but six points still remained.