'Anxious mother' escapes car ban

Kirsty Dodds praised the Sheriff's leniency in court

A mother who was caught doing 109 mph on a busy motorway has avoided a driving ban.

Kirsty Dodds, 30, from Stepps near Glasgow, was rushing along the M80 to see her six-day-old twins in a neo-natal intensive care unit.

She was fined £350 for the offence on 11 March and had six points added to her licence at Falkirk Sheriff Court.

Dodds praised the sheriff who said he would allow her this one indiscretion.

The Audi customer relations manager, admitted driving at her Audi A4 Sport Fsi at "absolutely excessive" speed.

The mother of two sets of twins told the court that she "had not realised" she was travelling at such a high speed on the M80 near Dunipace.

I will not disqualify you. I will allow you this one indiscretion Sheriff William Gallacher

Dodds told the court she was driving from Stepps to Stirling to see one of her newborns who was having a brain scan.

She told the court: "Six days beforehand I went into labour with my second set of twins, but they were almost three months premature.

"There were no neo-natal intensive care cots available in Glasgow, so I went to Stirling.

"On that day I was driving from my home in Stepps to visit them at Stirling Royal Infirmary. I just wanted to be with my kids."

Maternity leave

Sheriff William Gallacher stopped short of imposing a ban for driving in excess of 100 mph.

Passing sentence he told Dodds: "The ability for you to control your car at that absolutely excessive speed was almost non-existent.

"However, in these circumstances I will not disqualify you. I will allow you this one indiscretion."

Dodds - who is still on maternity leave - said she was "incredibly thankful" to Sheriff Gallacher.

She said, "With two sets of young twins, losing my licence would have made my life incredibly difficult."