A HERMES driver facing a ban after speeding more than 20 miles over the limit through a residential area has been allowed to keep his licence – despite the fact he now has 16 points on it.

Kevin Arthur Ingram already had 10 points on his licence prior to committing the latest offence – driving at 53 miles per hour in a 30mph zone in Knighton last December.

Magistrates sitting in Welshpool on Tuesday, May 17, heard delivery driver Ingram, 37, drove his Vauxhall Corsa van on the A4113 Ludlow Road in Knighton on December 10 last year at around 11.40am.

He admitted the offence previously but attended court this week to argue against a driving ban as he said it would lead to him losing his job.

Putting forward an exceptional hardship argument, Nigel James, representing Ingram, of Ffrydd Road, Knighton, described his client as a "totter" who was facing a six-month ban.

“He is apologetic and embarrassed to be before you," he said.

"I am inviting you to offer a discretionary disqualification. The difficulty is, my instructions are that anything longer than seven days would be problematic for him."

Chair of the bench, Stephen Pembroke, told Ingram: “You are a delivery driver so you should always be looking at the speedometer.

“It is your sole income and you use it to look after your partner and children, so this does not make good reading. It wasn’t just a few miles over."

Ingram was fined £392 and he must pay £85 costs and a £39 surcharge. He also had an additional six points put on his licence – he now 16 in total.