Points can make a driving ban

Sheriff warns travelling contracts manager that his mounting penalty points are approaching the disqualification zone

A SHERIFF has warned a driver all over Scotland in the course of his job, that mounting points on his licence could lead to disqualification if he is not careful.
Contracts manager Alexander Gow, 55, admitted braking a 60 mph speed limit on the A9 at Berriedale in Caithness, on October 4, last year. He was heading home to Thurso in his van when he was clocked by police, travelling at 71mph.
Solicitor Ian Innes said that the accused's licence was essential to him in his Aberdeen-based job which involved him clocking up in excess of 100,000 miles, annually.
Mr Innes told Wick Sheriff Court that Gow was conscious of his responsibility to abide by the law and added: "It is something he will be keeping a weather eye on in the future."
The court heard that Gow, of 8 Laurie Terrace, Thurso, already had two road traffic convictions on his licence -one for careless driving, the other a speeding offence and he already had six penalty points on his licence.
Sheriff Andrew Berry fined Gow £375 and imposed the minimum of three penalty points.
The sheriff made the point the total points now numbering nine, a further road traffic offence would inevitably incur a further three points which take the tally to 12 and, under the totting-up procedure, trigger an automatic ban of six months.