Car was going at 110mph in snow (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Car was going at 110mph in snow

A motorist tailgated other drivers on the M4 motorway near Swindon at 110mph while it was snowing.

Christopher Caird was speeding home in Renault Laguna when he drove up behind other vehicles on the wet road.

And a police patrol which followed the 51-year-old along the eastbound carriageway clocked him at 110mph.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said Caird's vehicle was spotted speeding by the officers shortly before 4pm on Saturday, March 5, this year.

"The weather was poor. There was at times quite heavy rain and flurries of snow as well as quite a lot of spray," he said.

He said that the Laguna was spotted on three occasions approaching other vehicles in the fast lane pulling within a car's length of them.

"He breaked so heavily that his car's bonnet dipped and remained behind until eventually the vehicles in front were forced to yield, moving to the middle lane so that he could speed off."

Mr Meeke said that the officers managed to carry out a time and distance speed check and clocked Caird at 110mph.

He was stopped on the road near Swindon and told that he was being reported for dangerous driving and allowed to continue.

Caird, of Durnsford Road, Wimbledon, South London, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

The court heard he had one previous conviction for breaking the speed limit in a 30mph zone.

Jonathan Simpson, defending, said that his client was just trying to get home to his family after being at work and insisted it was only snowing lightly.

Caird, he said, had his own business selling fitness equipment and in particular 'spinning' bikes.

He said that the machines weighed 50kg and had to be shown to prospective buyers meaning a that a driving licence was essential.

When he was banned he said that his client was going to find it extremely difficult to keep the business going.

He said that Caird was effectively the sole breadwinner and lived with his wife and three children aged 24, 20 and 11.

Fining him £750 and £250 costs Judge Charles Wade said "Driving in excess of the speed limit is an offence in itself as you know.

"Driving as the police officer describes in heavy spray and heavy rain even if it is the case that there was not much snow falling that day is not just extremely dangerous but extremely foolish."

He also banned him for a year and ordered he pass an extended retest before he gets his licence back.