A MOTORCYCLIST caught doing 117mph during the first lockdown said the sense of freedom got the better of him.

Neil Haines, 44, was caught doing more than 40mph over the speed limit on the A303 near Chilmark on May 17 last year.

The double glazing contractor told Swindon Magistrates’ Court he’d spent two months in lockdown being “mum, dad, trying to be teacher”.

In a letter read to the court on Monday, he said he’d seen a stretch of open road in front of him while he was out on his Ducati “Monster” motorcycle. “The sense of freedom got the better of me,” he said.

He apologised for the speeding, which he said was out of character. He was a double glazing contractor and drove all over the region for work. He had a trainee who worked with him.

Haines, of Coronation Road, Gillingham, pleaded guilty to speeding.

Magistrates imposed six penalty points, fined him £672 and ordered he pay £177 in costs and surcharge.