What sentence COULD could have been given to repeat speeder who was caught at 132mph?
A man has just been handed a one-year driving ban and a £400 fine for being caught going at 132mph – but what could he have got?
It is the second time Andrew Robert Steele of Larne has been caught doing treble figures on the roads (more details here at this link).
One safety campaigner has described his sentence as "scandalous".
But what does the law say?
He was convicted of breaching Article 43 of the Road Traffic Regulation (Northern Ireland) Order 1997, and Article 10 of the Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995.
The first offence deals with breaches of the speed limit, and the second one with dangerous driving.
The 1997 order does not actually specify a punishment for breaking the speed limit – though generally this is dealt with by either fining the offender between £60 and £200 and giving them three points (remaining on their licence for three years), or forcing them to do a mandatory speed awareness course.
The offence under the 1995 order is more serious.
Under that order, someone has committed an offence if "the way he drives falls far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver", and that this would "be obvious to a competent and careful driver".
The possible punishment is set out in a different bit of law, called the Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1996.
It says that on summary conviction (ie, in a magistrates' court) the offender can get six months in jail and a £5,000 fine.
But on indictment (that is, in a crown court) the jail term can be five years and the fine can be unlimited.
Some form of disqualification is obligatory.
What do the sentencing guidelines say? A first-time offender who disputes the fact they were driving dangerously could face up to a 24 month ban, as well as a fine.