KEY POINTS:
A honeymooning man who was clocked speeding at 159km/h on a Northland road escaped a fine after a judge appeared to take pity on his plight.
Jai Gokal, 28, from Mumbai pleaded guilty to driving at a dangerous speed when he appeared in Whangarei District Court this week.
Police clocked Gokal driving at 159km/h on State Highway One near Hukerenui about 3.40pm on Wednesday.
At the time he had no explanation for the excessive speed, but in court, he told Judge Roy Wade that he thought the New Zealand speed limit was 100 miles an hour and not 100km/h.
"I have lived in the United Kingdom for a year and the speed limit is in miles there so I was under the impression it was miles per hour here," Gokal said.
Despite dismissing the excuse, the judge spared Gokal a hefty fine but banned him from driving while he was in New Zealand.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE
