A COLNE GP fined more than £600 after escaping a driving ban has had the fine cut - but was warned by a judge not to speed again.

Narendrasing Pawar could earlier have lost his licence after clocking up his fourth speeding offence, but magistrates found exceptional circumstances not to disqualify him, an appeal hearing was told.

Burnley Crown Court heard that Dr Pawar was fined £660, with £35 costs and given three points by the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale bench. He could have faced a maximum fine of £1,000 for the offence in April last year.

The doctor, who is based at Colne Health Centre but lives in Leyland, had previous convictions for speeding in May and June 2001.

Reducing the fine to £200, Judge Christopher Cornwall said Dr Pawar had been doing 38mph in a 30mph zone. Guidelines recommended a penalty of £300.

He told the GP it was important to stress the circumstances under which the justices found they were able not to ban the appellant could not be relied on again.

The judge, went on: "If you commit a further speeding offence you may be disqualified."

Charles Brown, for Dr Pawar, told the court the magistrates seemed to have fined him heavily almost in substitution for disqualifying him.