A SCAFFOLDER caught doing 100mph in his wife’s Range Rover said he wasn’t used to the car.

Geoffrey Martin, 46, told Swindon Magistrates’ Court he usually drove a truck. The vehicle was so noisy at 70mph that it made speeding virtually impossible.

A police officer on patrol on the M4 on October 20, 2019, clocked his 2018-plate 4x4 at 100mph.

Speaking in his own defence, Martin said: “I just didn’t realise I was going as fast as I was. It was so quiet in there. As soon as I saw [the police officer] I knew.” He acknowledged he had been going far too fast.

The justices heard he ran his own scaffolding firm, employing nine people, and needed to drive between sites.

Martin, of Willersey Road, Cheltenham, pleaded guilty to speeding. 

Fining him £307 and imposing six penalty points, chairman of the bench Joanna Cadzow said: “We’ve heard the details of the offence. [You were] going very fast on a motorway and if you’d hit another car there would have been significant consequences.” He was ordered to pay £110 costs and a £32 victim surcharge. 

As he left court, Martin said: “Thank you very much for understanding my circumstances.”