Horse trainer admits 110mph drive

Venetia Williams was caught speeding near Evesham

National Hunt trainer Venetia Williams has pleaded guilty to driving at 110mph in Worcestershire.

Ms Williams, who trains about 70 horses at her base in How Caple, near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, was caught on the Evesham bypass on 9 September.

She admitted breaking the 70mph speed limit, saying she had been rushing back to tend to a sick horse.

Worcester magistrates banned her from driving for 42 days and fined her £500. She was also ordered to pay £35 costs.

The court heard she was spotted when she overtook an unmarked police car on the A46 at about 85mph.

Sick horse

The officers then followed her as she increased her speed to between 108mph and 110mph.

They also said she drove closely behind a Mazda, apparently trying to make it pull over out of her way.

Miss Williams' solicitor Mark Haslam said she was racing back to her yard to look after a horse, Luna, who had the potentially fatal colic.

He said her head lad, who was the only other person with a key to the medicine cabinet, was off and as it was a Sunday it was going to take some time to get a vet.

Mr Haslam told the court she needed a car to run her business and looked after her elderly father, who has Parkinson's Disease and lives five miles from her home.

Outside court, Ms Williams said: "Colic is potentially a very dangerous situation and it was vital that I got back to help the horse and fortunately the horse survived."