It’s all over for TV’s Nick

Dec 5 2008 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

TELEVISION presenter Nick Hancock was fined £400 on Wednesday – and banned from driving for six months under the totting-up procedure – after being caught speeding on the M90 motorway near Perth.

Sentence on the former host of ‘They Think It’s All Over’ and ‘Room 101’ had been deferred to allow him to appear in person if he wished to argue against a disqualification being imposed.

But Perth District Court was told that he wasn’t offering any ‘exceptional hardship’ grounds in a bid to escape a ban and accepted he would be put off the road.

Hancock, of Woore, Shropshire, previously pled guilty by letter to driving his Volkswagen Toureg at 95mph on the M90 motorway, near the junction with the B9097, on August 17.

The 46-year-old at present has nine penalty points on his licence. The addition of another three or more would result in him being banned for six months under the totting-up procedure.

His lawyers wrote asking the court to consider imposing an immediate ban – possibly of seven days – as a lengthier disqualification would harm his television work.

The solicitors added: “If the court, however, decides that penalty points should be imposed for the offence, then our client would fall foul of the totting-up procedure.

“If this is the case, we would be obliged if the matter could be adjourned since our client would wish to put forward an exceptional hardship argument and will require time to obtain evidence to produce to the court in support of this argument.”

Justice of the Peace, Barbara Briggs-Constable, deferred sentence until Wednesday.

Depute fiscal Robbie Brown said that the accused had been caught in a radar speed check at 1.30pm that day.

“There were no adverse road or weather conditions and traffic was moderate,” he added.

Noting that Hancock had been driving 25mph in excess of the speed limit, Justice of the Peace Barbara Briggs-Constable said she was imposing four penalty points, taking the total on his licence to 13.

She banned him for six months and imposed a £400 fine.

She added: “I don’t have a note of his income but I suggest it will be substantial.”

She allowed him one month to pay the penalty.