Dad spared driving ban doing 79mph in 30mph zone

Ricky Bunting (23) snared going 79mph  outside a Rawmarsh pub explained afterwards: “My girlfriend called me and said ‘She’s stopped breathing, she’s blue,’ so I just drove home as quickly as possible.”

The couple’s daughter Ava, then two months old, who appeared almost lifeless when her dad arrived home, was taken to see doctors and recovered after treatment for severe bronchitis.

But Ricky got “done” for speeding for a second time later on the same day picking up a fixed penalty fine that night after he was caught by the same camera on the same stretch of road while taking his daughter to hospital after she again stopped breathing.

This time, Ricky was just over the speed limit as he drove her to Rotherham Hospital where she was on oxygen for a few days but made a full recovery.

The young dad, of Avenue Road, Wath, pleaded guilty to speeding last May when he appeared at Rotherham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Tyre fitter Ricky admitted driving the Skoda Fabia vehicle at 79mph on High Street, near Bellows Road, Rawmarsh, at 7.52am.

The court heard that it was way over the sentencing guidelines for speeding offences and was expected to result in an automatic disqualification.

He was caught by the speed camera as he drove back to the house he shares with girlfriend Kealey Tinker after she phoned him while he was working.    

Mr Phil Jones, mitigating in court, said it was not a medical emergency as defined by special reasons allowing magistrates to use discretion on banning him.

“It explains why he was driving so quick but doesn’t excuse it,” Mr Jones said.

But he pointed out that Ricky, who had six points on his licence at the time, had no history of reckless or inconsiderate driving and was required to drive in his employment on which colleagues relied.

Mr Jones argued that Ricky had two weeks’ holiday due and he could be disqualified immediately for that period to mark the severity of the offence.

“Yes, he was driving extremely quickly, yes it is unacceptable and should be punished and if you were to impose such a disqualification he could remain in employment,” Mr Jones told the court.

Magistrates told the dad it was a “very dangerous” speed and fined him £400, plus £85 costs, and banned him from driving for 14 days.

Outside court, Ricky said his partner Kealey and little Ava, now ten months old, had been “in and out” of hospital with breathing problems after Ava was born but both were now doing fine.

“Everyone’s fine now and it’s a big relief not to be banned for longer and risk losing my job,” he said.