Anger at striker's speeding fine

Martins joined Newcastle from Inter Milan for £10m two years ago

Road safety campaigners have condemned a decision not to ban Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins from driving after he was caught speeding at 106mph.

The Nigeria international, 24, admitted breaking the 70mph speed limit on the A696 Woolsington bypass as he drove to Newcastle Airport on 10 May.

He was fined £550, with £400 court costs, and had six points put on his licence by Newcastle magistrates.

The charity Brake said his treatment provided no deterrent to other drivers.

'Automatic ban'

Cath Keeler, deputy chief executive of the road safety organisation, said: "Going so much over the speed limit is taking a blatant risk with lives on the road.

"There is absolutely no excuse.

"A fine of a few hundred pounds for someone who earns thousands a week is not really a deterrent.

"The courts need to find a better way of dealing with incidents like this that does provide a real deterrent.

"We would like to see anyone going so significantly over the speed limit to be treated as committing a much more serious offence and face an automatic ban."

The striker, who joined Newcastle from Inter Milan for £10m two years ago, was given credit for his unblemished driving record and his guilty plea by District Judge Stephen Earl.