A MAN has been allowed to keep his driving licence - despite racking up his fourth and fifth speeding offences and exceeding 12 points on his licence.

Anthony Godfrey, of Sealand Avenue in Garden City, appeared at Mold Magistrates Court on Monday.

The 38-year-old had previously admitted two offences of speeding, which took place on the A494 between Garden City and the Deeside Industrial Park Interchange.

Prosecutor Alan Williams told the court that in both cases, Godfrey was clocked by the average speed cameras which monitor 2,002 metres of road.

The first of the two offences happened on February 3 this year, when the defendant was driving a Mercedes motor vehicle at an average speed of 60mph - the limit there being 50.

And the second, committed in the same vehicle, happened on February 11 when he was clocked doing an average of 59mph in the 50 zone.

The court heard Godfrey already had 10 points on his licence, all of which derived from three speeding offences.

Godfrey made an exceptional hardship application to the court, urging the Magistrates not to ban him as to do so would have a severe impact on his work and family.

"If my licence is taken off me," he explained, "I won't be able to use the car for work.

"I need the licence for my business."

Speaking of how a ban, and subsequent loss of work, would impact himself and his family, he said: "It would take the clothes off our back."

Geoff Bull, Chair of the Magistrates, told the defendant: "There are 10 points on your licence at the moment Mr Godfrey - you're not learning the lesson.

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"You live right by where the speed cameras are and you're still not getting the point that you're going over the limit."

The Magistrates imposed a total of three points on the defendant's licence, but allowed him to keep driving due to exceptional hardship.

Should Godfrey commit a motoring crime in the next three years, he will not be able to use the following reasons in an exceptional hardship application:

The financial effect/potential loss of work, the impact on his children and the impact on his parents' health.

For the two offences of speeding, he must pay a fine of £500, as well as a £200 victim surcharge and £110 costs.