Uninsured boy racer appears in court after doing 125mph on M5

A 17-year-old driver from Somerset was caught doing 125 miles an hour down the M5, Bath Magistrates’ Court has heard.

Photo © Avon & Somerset Police

Joe Penfold, who is now 18, appeared in court on Monday 2nd February to admit driving his brother’s VW Golf southbound on the motorway between junctions 19 and 20 at 55 miles above the speed limit and without insurance.

He was stopped on 22nd December 2024 by police who had been travelling in an unmarked vehicle.

Penfold’s solicitor said his client’s brother had driven the pair of them to Bristol that day but had decided to stay there.

Penfold had decided to drive himself back to his home in Whiteball, near Wellington as he needed to see his grandmother who has health issues.

His solicitor acknowledged the “grossly excessive speed” at which Penfold had been travelling, but told magistrates there had been no near-misses, damage or injuries caused.

He said Penfold accepted he would be banned and asked magistrates to impose a “relatively short disqualification” due to the impact on not just him but members of his family.

Penfold already had three points on his driving licence for an offence last August of leaving a vehicle in a dangerous position. Accumulating 12 or more penalty points within three years triggers an automatic minimum six-month ban under the ‘totting-up’ system.

Penfold was fined £268 for driving without insurance and £268 for speeding. He was also ordered to pay £130 costs and a £26 court surcharge.

He received eight penalty points for having no insurance and for the speeding offence his driving record was endorsed, but with no separate points.

Penfold’s solicitor asked the magistrates why they had not disqualified Penfold, and they said they were following their sentencing guidelines.

Penfold will, however, still get his licence automatically revoked. A new driver’s licence is cancelled if they get six or more points within two years of passing their test. They have to apply and pay for a new provisional licence and pass both theory and practical parts of the test again to get a full licence.