Peter Miseldine, of Royal Parade, appeared before the town's magistrates on Friday after he was convicted of speeding and having no insurance in his absence at an earlier hearing.

Prosecutor Rebecca Wood told district judge Roger Ede the defendant had been stopped by the police while travelling towards Pevensey Bay at around 11.30pm on March 17 2007.

Officers used a laser and found Miseldine to be travelling at 50mph in a 30mph limit. He was also found to have no insurance.

Miseldine represented himself and told the court he was test driving the car at the time and thought he was insured.

He explained he had been back to the garage to clarify the issue of insurance but was told the business had been sold to someone else and he needed to sort it out with the previous owners.

The defendant said, "As far as the speeding was concerned it was my own fault.

"I just didn't realise my speed because I went from driving a little Fiesta to a bigger Rover."

Miseldine was fined £300 for each offence and ordered to pay £35 in court costs — a total of £635.

His driving licence was endorsed with six points for driving with no insurance.