A DAD-TO-BE who lost control of his car on the A419, rolling it into a field and sending his pregnant wife flying from the vehicle, has kept his licence.

New driver Sairam Kummari had leaned forward to reset his satellite navigation when he lost control as he headed north on the dual carriageway on the edge of Swindon.

After admitting driving without due care and attention the 33-year-old was given six penalty points, meaning his licence was revoked under the new driver provisions.

But after launching an appeal at Swindon Crown Court the IT worker had the sentence reduced to five points, leaving him free to drive again.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, said Kummari was on his way to watch India play cricket in Cardiff last June when the accident happened.

The car “appears to have veered across the A419 and flipped on its roof in a field,” she said, adding that Mr Kummari’s wife was thrown from the vehicle.

Ms Squire said: “He was travelling at about 65mph and the sat nav stopped working. He leaned forward to switch it off and on.

“The car swerved left and the next thing he knew he was in the field and his wife was out of the car. They were both wearing seatbelts.

“Fortunately, his wife suffered no ill effects and they now have a baby.”

She said after he admitted the offence magistrates fined him £350 and put six points on his licence.

Because he had only passed his test in April last year DVLA revoked his licence meaning he would have to retake his test. Kummari, of Havergate Way, Reading, said he was only appealing against the points the justices had imposed.

Representing himself, he said: “It just happened in a second, the next thing I knew the car had crashed, my wife was away from the car.

“The ambulance and police arrived and we were taken to the hospital. She was pregnant at the time but had no further problems.

“I am a quite careful person, it was one of those little things that I did wrong. I have been driving since then because my job demands me to drive and I have had no incident since then.

“If I don’t drive it will dramatically affect my business life, like going to work. My work requires going to quite a lot of other offices.”

He said his wife did not drive and they also needed to take the baby to the doctor for vaccinations and routine check-ups.

Allowing the appeal Judge Douglas Field, sitting with two magistrates, said: “It was a momentary lapse of attention. No one else was involved.

“We have decided to allow the appeal to the extent that five points will be on the licence so it will not be automatic revocation.

“Until you pass the two year mark on your licence you will be at risk and you must drive very carefully.”