A plumber’s roads ban was lifted after he convinced a court he would face exceptional hardship if the six-month driving disqualification remained in place.

Richard Stubbs, 62, admitted doing 36mph in a 30 zone in Winkfield, a Berkshire village, while driving his 2021-plate Mercedes Benz C220 AMG saloon car on July 14 last year.

The Oxford magistrates gave him three penalty points and fined £184. However, because he already had nine penalty points on his licence from earlier speeding convictions, he was disqualified automatically for six months after ‘totting-up’ 12 points.

READ MORE: Banbury stalker left victim afraid she would 'never be rid of him'

The Surrey man was before Oxford Crown Court on Friday to appeal that six-month ban, claiming he and his family would face exceptional hardship if he could not drive.

Stubbs, who is listed on Companies House as a director of firm Plumb Your Home Ltd, claimed he would lose his employment - meaning he would be unable to keep up the mortgage repayments on his home of 15 years.

He supported his 92-year-old mother, who was still living independently and relied on her son.

His wife was a member of air crew flying long-haul and was not particularly confident behind the wheel, particularly after landing late at night.

Recorder John Ryder QC, considering the appeal alongside two justices, said: “This is a difficult case. The law is perfectly plain; the disqualification that arises out of the accumulation of penalty points and the sequential breaches of driving law that led to them is intended to have a deterrent effect.

“It is recognised that the loss of a licence in very many cases will lead to the loss of employment. Inevitably, the loss of employment will lead to consequential difficulties, often serious consequential difficulties, for a defendant’s immediate family.

READ MORE: Man armed with cleaver asked woman 'what are you like with blood and guts', court told

“Those matters do not of themselves necessarily amount to exceptional circumstances.

“Exceptional circumstances are exactly that; they are circumstances which are truly exceptional and unless persuaded the circumstances in a given case are truly exceptional then the disqualification is perfectly properly imposed and must be maintained.

“We find this a very difficult case but in all the circumstances we are persuaded the circumstances here taken in combination are exceptional in the hardship they would occasion for the applicant.”

He warned Stubbs that he would be unable to use the same exceptional hardship argument again. Were he to clock up more penalty points, he would be disqualified as a ‘totter’.

The appeal was allowed and the six month ban was lifted.

Read more from this author

This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward