A newly qualified motorist has had his driving licence stripped and given a prison sentence after being caught travelling more than 150mph on UK roads.
It comes after reports found that a driver was caught speeding 153mph last year at the Ashley Heath roundabout in Bournemouth.
The incident took place at around 11.40pm on Tuesday June 4 2024, with Dorset Police detailing how they spotted a BMW 325i coupe speeding while navigating a left-hand bend.
Within two seconds after noticing the vehicle, the officer on duty set off and followed the car along A338 dual carriageway.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing[email protected]
The driver was caught travelling 153mph on a major road breaking the 50mph speed limit
PA/GETTY
The car was found to have broken the 50mph speed limit by 206 per cent with police immediately having to intervene and stop the dangerous driving.
The police shared how the driver managed to travel between Ashley Heath and Blackwater in approximately two and a half minutes despite the 5.2 miles distance taking roughly five minutes when adhering to the correct speed limits.
The driver, who was 23 at the time, was charged with dangerous driving and was sentenced last month at Bournemouth Crown Court.
He received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years as well as a total driving ban for two years and six months.
Police Constable Kier Dagnall, of the Roads Policing Team, said: “We were very quickly able to respond and stop this vehicle from being involved in a collision and the driver potentially injuring themselves, their front-seat passenger or another road user.”
The driver had only passed his driving test three weeks before he was caught breaking the law by travelling at “incredibly dangerous speeds” with someone else in his vehicle.
He added: “We cannot make it any clearer – there is no excuse for driving over the speed limit and endangering other road users. The footage shows just how quickly the BMW driver was travelling as within seconds he was out of our sight.
“We know that some young, newly qualified drivers can be drawn into travelling at dangerous speeds and testing their capabilities, but this is not acceptable. You will ultimately risk losing your licence that you just worked hard to obtain and the consequences could be tragic if you are involved in a road traffic collision.”
Under UK law, newly qualified drivers face tougher rules and restrictions than other motorists due to being on the roads for the first time.
This includes having their driving licence cancelled if they obtain six or more points within two years of passing their test.
The Department for Transport explained: “Any penalty points on your provisional licence that have not expired will be carried over to your full licence when you pass your test.
“You must retake both parts of your driving test if your licence has been cancelled after you’ve passed your test, but you have not sent off for your full licence yet. You can use your current provisional licence to take the tests.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Drivers can be fined £100 for speeding in the UK PADrivers caught speeding in the UK can face a penalty fine of £100 as well as up to three penalty points. But in more serious cases, this fine can increase to £1,000 if caught on the motorway.