A DROITWICH man who said he needed his car to help his elderly grandmother do her shopping has been banned from driving for six months.

Scott Warner, aged 22, of Wey Close, Droitwich, app-eared before Worcester Mag-istrates Court charged with driving a Vauxhall Astra on September 23 above the 40mph speed limit.

Mark Soper, prosecuting, said Warner was seen by a motorcycle police officer on the A442 between Droitwich and Kidderminster travelling at 70mph.

He said that when the offence had been pointed out to Warner he had told the officer: "I did not realise I was going that fast."

Warner put his speeding down to a "lapse of judgement" and asked district judge Bruce Morgan not to disqualify him from driving as he worked about four miles from home and needed his car.

He also said he regularly helped his sick grandmother do her shopping, which no other family member could do.

"It's always been left up to me to help her as they have other commitments and family," he said.

"The past year has been an absolute nightmare and I'm just trying to put my life back straight."

But district judge Morgan said: "I do not find exceptional hardship in this case."

He said Warner could get to and from work on foot, or by bike, and said something could be worked out with other family members to help his grandmother. He fined Warner £200, with £60 court costs and gave him five penalty points, which pushed him above the 12 point limit causing him to be disqualified for six months.