Motorist gets seven points on licence

A WOMAN drove at excessive speed, tailgateing other vehicles and using her mobile phone as she was late for a friend's wedding, a court heard.

Jane Baillie, 32, drove through Edinburgh at high speed and police patrol stopped her on the A1 near Tranent after recording her averaging 91.28 mph over a third of a mile stretch.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday, Baillie was fined 300 and given seven penalty points on her licence after pleading guilty to driving without due care and attention on August 6 this year.

Defence solicitor, Graeme Runcie, said Baillie of Colliston, Perth, drove 30,000 miles a year and had one previous road traffic conviction with three penalty points on her licence.

She was supposed to be off work on the day of the incident to attend a friend's wedding. But her employers asked her, at the "last minute", to carry out several appointments.

She was heading for Haddington to collect her fiance and go to the wedding.

Mr Runcie said disqualification would have a serious effect on Baillie. She is due to get married next Friday and would be assisting her future husband with his business which would involve travelling.

Sheriff Elizabeth Jarvie QC told Baillie she was lucky the Crown had accepted a plea to careless driving, not dangerous.