Devon farmer banned for speeding to cow giving birth
- Published
Geoffrey Brown was 41mph over the legal limit on the A30 dual carriageway
A beef farmer has been banned from driving after he was caught speeding at 111mph to the birth of a heifer.
Geoffrey Brown was clocked by police driving his Land Rover 41mph over the legal limit on the A30 dual carriageway at South Tawton, Devon, on 13 April.
The 48-year-old admitted speeding and was banned for 56 days and fined a total of £437 at Exeter Magistrates' Court.
"I was concerned about the animal's welfare," Brown told the court.
"I was quite rightly driving too fast. It is not a very easy plight for beef farmers at the moment."
More news and stories from Devon and Cornwall.
He said he had received a phone call from his wife telling him a cow was struggling with the birth while he was at a sale.
Brown, of Kerswell Farm, North Molton, said he had three holdings 10 miles apart and 100 beef cows to look after.
District Judge Jo Matson said: "What you did was put your foot down and was incredibly dangerous."