Ayrshire taxi driver who fell asleep at wheel and crashed is caught speeding twice in one night

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Kilwinning cabbie who accumulated nine penalty points on his licence after speeding twice on the same night and falling asleep at the wheel has had his taxi licence renewal application refused by North Ayrshire Licensing Committee.A letter, signed by by Ayrshire Division Chief Superintendent Raymond Higgins, revealed that DVLA documentation, prepared in relation to the application, showed that John Swindle (45) had accumulated nine points in different offences.His taxi vehicle was detected on June 4, 2023 at 2.25am by the average speed cameras on the A77 heading southbound at Monkton to Sandyford near to the A719 travelling at 86 mph in a 70mph zone.Then just 13 minutes later he was detected by average speed cameras on the A77 heading north to the A719 at Sandyford travelling at 81 mph in a 70mph zone.On May 2, 2023, at 4am, Mr Swindle was given an endorsable fixed penalty issued for careless driving and inconsiderate driving on the A71 Corsehill Mount Roundabout in Dreghorn.Committee chair Eleanor Collier said: “It's very obvious why you are here as you are a taxi driver with nine points on your licence and that gives the committee concern.

Speeding is one thing but having careless driving as well within a short space of time is actually quite damning.”Mr Swindle said: “I had a really unlucky year last year with regards to gaining points on my licence.

The night I got the speeding points I just let my speed climb and hadn’t noticed I was actually speeding and I got two speeding tickets through the door on the same night, I thought 'for God's sake'.“In terms of the careless driving, I had fallen asleep and crashed the car and am lucky to still be here, I didn't intend getting any penalty points for it.”Committee member