A DEBT-ridden salesman escaped a six-month driving ban after he was caught speeding through Kempsey.

Father-of-three Leon Hughes already had nine penalty points on his licence when a camera caught him doing 43mph in the 30mph limit.

The extra points would have meant a six-month disqualification.

But magistrates took pity on the cash-strapped 28-year-old - who has been on the dole since he was made redundant in December - when he told them he had been offered work. They cut the ban to a fortnight.

Droitwich magistrates heard Hughes, of Sinton Terrace, St John's, was behind on his mortgage payments and was about to lose his home.

He told them he was "embarrassed" to be claiming benefit and still unable to provide for his partner and children.

Kerry Moreton, prosecuting, said Hughes, who admitted speeding, tried to pass the offence off as a fixed penalty when the paperwork came through.

But he forgot to sign the cheque he posted to the court.

"That wouldn't have been acceptable anyway because of the number of points on his licence," Miss Moreton added.

Peugeot GTI driver Hughes had been a home improvements' salesman, paid commission only.

Now he had been given the chance to work for Town & Country Building but needed a car to cover his 50-mile patch.

"I find it hard to pay day-to-day bills and I can't provide for my family," he said. "I'm two months behind on the mortgage. When we took it out we couldn't afford the extra for unemployment cover, and the DSS doesn't start paying for another three months.

"I'm worried I won't be able to provide a roof over my children's heads."

Miss Moreton, quizzing Hughes, told him his children could walk the half-mile to school each day, and said his family could visit him, rather than him driving to them in Solihull.

But Nick Roberts, defending, produced a statement of Hughes' earnings and outgoings, saying he needed the job to climb out of the "awful mess" he was in.

"There's a massive difference between the figures," he said.

"The shortfall's horrendous. He simply can't live and there's every possibility that he'll lose his home."

Magistrates banned him for 14 days and fined him £50. They added four points to his licence, warning him he "wouldn't get a second chance".