MOTORING organisations last night denied there was a loophole in the speeding laws - despite a charge being dropped against another driver who could not remember who was behind the wheel when his car was caught on camera.

Peter Jennings, of Stockton, used the same defence as controversial police officer Superintendent Adrian Roberts, who escaped prosecution when he too claimed he could not remember who was driving his speeding car.

And now, only a day before he was due to appear in court in connection with April's incident, the case against 57-year-old Mr Jennings has been withdrawn.

Cleveland Police Authority member Dave McLuckie claimed last night that the "floodgates had opened" for people trying to avoid speeding fines.

He said the defence against speeding tickets had been nicknamed "the Roberts defence".

"The case has created a legal loophole and we must close that loophole as quickly as possible," he said.

The concerns came as another Middlesbrough couple fight their speeding ticket using the "Roberts" defence.

Diane and Barry Green, of Grangetown, claim they cannot remember who was driving their Nissan when it was clocked for speeding. The Crown Prosecution Service is deciding whether to pursue the matter.

A Home Office spokesman last night side-stepped the question, saying that he could not comment on individual cases and could not speculate about future cases.

But an AA spokeswoman said that a legal loophole had not been created. "There won't be a precedent set here because every case is taken on its merits," she said.

"Speeding tickets automatically go to the registered keeper of the car, and if they don't know who was driving then they are prosecuted, unless they have a good reason for not knowing.

"Obviously the police can't reveal what the 'good reasons' are, otherwise they really will set a precedent."