THREE men who were caught travelling at more than 100mph in separate incidents on the A66 appeared before Magistrates in Darlington yesterday.

Terence Stephen O'Brian, 53, of Lansdowne Road in Middlesbrough, was caught on June 18 doing 113mph on the dual carriageway section of the A66 at Old Spittal, where the speed limit is 70mph.

He pleaded guilty to the speeding charge.

Defending Peter Body said that O'Brian had not realised how fast he was going.

He added that a disqualification from driving would severely affect O'Brian's business, Direct Bathroom Supplies Ltd, which he set up two years ago.

Mr Body said: "The business would not survive if he were to lose his licence, he appreciates he shouldn't have been doing such an excessive speed, but he hadn't realised the speed had built up to that amount. He is very sorry."

Magistrates banned him from driving for two weeks and fined him £135.

Anthony James Latimer, 40, of Kilpatrick Gardens in Glasgow was caught by police doing 105mph on the same stretch of road, in his Volvo car on June 13.

He pleaded guilty to speeding. Magistrates fined him £95 and ordered his licence be endorsed with six points.

Trevor Ernest Corby, 45, of Lutyens Grove, Old Farm Park, Milton Keynes was caught doing 104mph on the same part of the A66 on June 26 in his VW Golf car.

He pleaded guilty to speeding and said to the court: "I'm just sorry. It's my first offence, I had a clean licence for 28 years."

Magistrates told him the speed was totally unacceptable, fined him £135 and banned him from driving for four weeks.