Pc 'was speeding on right roads'

Pc Milton arriving at court on Monday at the start of his trial

A policeman accused of driving at 159mph was speeding on the "right" stretches of road, a court has heard.

Pc Mark Milton is standing trial for dangerous driving and speeding after cameras on board his unmarked car clocked him driving at high speeds.

But former police driving instructor Douglas Boulton, who viewed a video of Pc Milton's driving on the day, said he saw "no problem with it at all".

Pc Milton, 38, from Telford, Shropshire, denies both charges.

Second trial

Mr Boulton, a defence witness, questioned the accuracy of the camera's speedometer and told the court that, in his experience, police officers trained on normal roads and were expected to drive "as fast as it was safe to do so".

He said advanced drivers, such as Pc Milton, were expected to keep up their skills.

"Michael Schumacher at the end of the Grand Prix season doesn't sit down and do nothing for six months - he still practises and tests because he has to keep himself at a particular level."

He said after viewing the video of Pc Milton's driving on the day: "His driving, as far as positioning, I find no problem with it at all.

"The speed when he did it, he did it in the right places."

Pc Milton, who was driving a 3.2l Vauxhall Vectra on 5 December 2003, is facing his second trial.

He was originally cleared of the same charges but the High Court overturned his acquittal and ordered a retrial.

The case was adjourned until Friday.