A MAN has been banned from driving after being caught travelling at 101mph in a 50mph zone on the Bingley bypass.

Ansar Iqbal, a mobile car valeter, was driving an Audi S5 that belonged to one of his customers, Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court heard.

The 31-year-old, of Devonshire Street West in Keighley, admitted his “stupidity” before magistrates banned him from driving for 45 days.

Prosecutor Teresa King said police officers spotted the Audi travelling at “excess speed” on June 6 this year. She added that they did a speed check and clocked it at 101mph.

Iqbal told magistrates: “It was a customer’s car and it was a sports car. For that period of time I did put my foot down.

“It was a supercar and, to be honest with you, I didn’t know how fast it accelerated. I have never driven a car like that before.”

Amjid Hussain, for Iqbal, said his client had a clean driving licence before this offence and recognised his own “stupidity”.

He added: “For the last two years he has been self-employed as a mobile car valeter, which requires him to be mobile and travel to people’s cars and clean them. That is his only source of income.

“He accepts what he did this day was wrong. It is a bypass he is familiar with.”

Mr Hussain added: “He is trying to earn a decent living and needs his licence to be able to do that.”

The chairman of the Bench, Peter McDermott, said: “I think you are the first one to agree that the speed is not acceptable.

“I feel sorry for the customer. It was the customer’s car you were thrashing about in – but that is another story.”

Iqbal was also fined £170 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Another driver from the Bradford district has also been dealt with for speeding at more than 100mph.

Mohammed Abbas, 35, of Great Horton Road, Bradford, was caught doing 105.4mph on the M62 near Halifax on August 6 this year.

He was fined £400, ordered to pay £85 costs and a £44 victim surcharge, and had his driving licence endorsed with six points.

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