Best man drove at 104mph on way to wedding (From York Press)

Best man Daniel Pearson drove at 104mph on way to wedding

9:31am Monday 22nd October 2012 in News By Dan Bean, dan.bean@thepress.co.uk

A BEST man drove at 104mph in a 60mph zone, to make sure his friend got to his wedding on time, a court has heard.

Daniel Pearson, of Oak Way, Selby, appeared before Selby Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

A court heard an unmarked police patrol had spotted him driving an Aston Martin Vanquish – which cost about £190,000 new – on the A1041 last August.

Speaking in his own defence, the 27-year-old engineer told the court he had been asked to be best man for an old friend, and was on his way to pick him up, when he was caught by police.

He said: “It wasn’t borne out of habit of mine, it was a one-off decision. The most frustrating thing was I had allowed enough time for that journey and allowed the pressure of the situation to get to me.”

The court heard the car did not belong to Pearson, but had been borrowed from his mother’s employer at the groom’s request.

Pearson said he knew the road well, and was fully aware of the speed limit, and achieved the excessive speed while overtaking another vehicle.

He said he was confident there were no junctions close to where the manoeuvre took place, and he would not be putting himself or any other motorists at risk.

He told the court he was embarrassed to be appearing in front of the court, and said: “I take driving very seriously, I consider myself a safe driver.

“I want to pass on my thanks to the police officer who dealt with me. He handled it sensitively, and didn’t allow the day to be ruined for the two people closest to me.”

Magistrate Angela Lewis told Pearson: “You understand what might have happened had there been someone trying to cross the road suddenly or someone coming out from anywhere – you would have been upon them in a matter of seconds. They would not have stood a chance, and neither would you.”

Pearson was banned from driving for 56 days, fined £600, and ordered to pay court costs of £45, with a victim surcharge of £15.