Trainee beautician, 20, uses loophole to avoid taking driving test again after being caught speeding 68mph in 40mph zone
A TRAINEE beautician used a legal loophole to avoid taking a driving test again after being caught speeding 68mph in a 40mph zone.
Mia Anastasi was pulled over in her Mercedes C-Class by a police officer after being seen emerging from a toll booth near the M53 motorway at a high speed on August 22.
New drivers can receive six points for such a speeding offense within their first two years of driving, which could result in their license being cancelled.
This would mean needing to reapply for a provisional and then sit her driving and theory exams again.
But Mia was luckily able to accept a 14-day driving disqualification instead and keep her license.
The court suggested that Mia should be fined and given either six penalty points or a ban of seven to 56 days.
However, the trainee beautician was spared her blushes even though she already had five points on her licence following another motoring misdemeanor.
Magistrates agreed to ban her from driving for 14 days and also fined her £120 and ordered that she pay £168 in costs and victim surcharge.
Chris Howard, prosecuting, said: “An officer on patrol saw a silver Mercedes exit the toll booth at a fast pace and he followed the defendant’s vehicle south bound on the link road towards the M53.
“Unfortunately, his VASCAR software was out of calibration so he decided to pace the vehicle and got behind the Mercedes.
“He drove at 60 mph according to his calibrated speedometer and the Mercedes still pulled away from him increasing the distance between the Mercedes and the police vehicle.
“The officer formed the opinion that the defendant was driving in excess of the 40mph speed limit and he subsequently pulled her over just prior to the M53.”
The legal adviser clarified from the police records that her speed had been calculated as 68mph by the use of CCTV.
Representing herself, Anastasi who is currently claiming Universal Credit confirmed she preferred a short ban but said she did not believe she was going so fast.
She did not want to dispute the matter by going to trial and pleaded guilty to speeding.
She added: “I didn’t think the officer stopped me for speeding. When I first bought the vehicle, it was not in my name and he first pulled me over for that.
“I have already got five points on my licence and I am a new driver.”
The clerk said: “It is six points for driving at 68mph in a 40mph zone but she is going to try to persuade you to give her a short ban so that she doesn’t have to take her test again.
“The ban is between seven and 56 days. “
Chairman Hugh Evans said: “We have listened to what has been said. We are going to disqualify you rather than give you points.
“The disqualification will be for 14 days. You cannot drive. If you do, that will be a very serious offence.”