A barber’s convictions for dangerous driving and possession of a blade have been overturned by a crown court judge.

Asher Graham was convicted at the magistrates’ court earlier this year. Police claimed they had seen the 23-year-old’s VW Sirocco speeding through a number of red lights and when they pulled the car over near the Rat Trap pub, they found a Stanley knife in the car door pocket.

But at an appeal hearing at Swindon Crown Court, Judge Jason Taylor QC and two magistrates overturned the conviction. The dangerous driving and knife possession charges were wiped from his record.

But he was found guilty of a lesser charge of careless driving, given three points and told to pay £85 costs. Judge Taylor said the bench had found the manner of his driving in the early hours had fallen below the standard expected of a competent and careful driver.

PC Ben Greening told the court he had been passed at speed by the VW shortly after 1am on January 5 near Greenbridge retail park. The car had gone through a number of red lights and was speeding at 80mph, it was alleged.

PC Tom Owen-Evans was the radio operator in patrol car near the Hobley Drive Aldi and, after hearing that the Sirocco had failed to stop for police, saw the defendant heading towards them. He thought Graham may have been doing more than 40mph. The road has a 30mph speed limit.

His driver wheeled the police car around. Graham pulled into a layby opposite the Rat Trap pub when he saw blue lights behind him.

In interview, Graham said he was surprised when officers had come up to his car. He believed he had been going at no more than 45mph and denied driving through red lights, but said he was the kind of driver who would try and “just make lights” if they were turning amber and he didn’t look in his mirrors very much.

Giving evidence the barber said he had left his Manchester Road shop at around 7pm. The drummer, went to band practice at a church in Gorse Hill then drove to his friend’s home in Old Town to work on a promotional video for his barber shop. He left for home around 1am.

He said the Stanley blade was for opening parcels. He supplied other Swindon barbershops with the steriliser used to clean scissors and razors and used the blade, which he had owned since doing a plumbing course at Swindon College in his teens, to open boxes when out on deliveries.

Graham, of Cherry Orchard, Highworth, was described by Judge Taylor as a credible and compelling witness. He said the bench was satisfied he had a reasonable excuse to have the knife in that it was used in connection with his work as a hairdresser.

But he cautioned the barber: “You need to be aware that you can’t have a Stanley knife in your car again, because it could cause problems.”

Had he had a penknife with a blade under three inches he would not have been charged with the knife offence.