A MOTORIST caught doing 94 miles an hour in a 40mph zone on the A82 through Dumbarton has narrowly avoided being locked up after he failed to show for a court-ordered appointment.

James Hughes was told to meet social workers for a background report after he pleaded guilty to driving at more than double the limit on the trunk route between Glasgow Road and Greenhead Road on August 24, 2016.

The 29-year-old’s solicitor told the town’s sheriff court on Friday that Hughes, of Briarcroft Drive in the Robroyston area of Glasgow, had not attended a meeting with social workers to have a background report prepared – because his mother had been ill at the time.

Hughes’ lawyer also told the court his client had dyslexia.

He told Sheriff Maxwell Hendry: “This has been a genuine case of stress and distress.

“Irritating and annoying though the circumstances are, I would ask you to give him this one very, very last chance to retain his liberty to have these reports prepared.”

Noting Hughes had twice failed to appear, Sheriff Hendry said: “None of what you have said would have prevented him picking up the phone and calling the social work department in advance to tell them he wasn’t planning to come.”

Addressing Hughes directly, the sheriff said: “By the slimmest of possible margins you will get that final chance.

“If there is no report available on the next occasion this case calls before me – and it will call before me – and that is in any way attributable to your fault, I will pay no more attention to your family situation or personal difficulties and I will remand you in custody.”

Sentence was deferred until next month.