A BUSINESSMAN who drove at 90 miles an hour along a motorway in torrential rain - because his young son was late for football - was handed a £1000 fine.

David Ireland, 45, was spotted by a police patrol as he sped up the M9 motorway between Polmont and Bannockburn, Stirlingshire, in what a court was told was a "brand new" LandRover Discovery.

On Friday, Stirling Sheriff Court was told that police noticed Ireland's car because it was going "faster than anything else on the motorway".

Police, in a patrol car with a calibrated speedometer, began following it and noticed it was travelling consistently about the 70 limit, and at speeds of up to 90.

The incident occurred about 11.30am on Saturday, November 7 last year.

Depute fiscal Jade Doig said: "During this there was a rain storm, with very large puddles on the carriageway and the visibility was vastly reduced.

"The accused realised he was being followed by the police and he slowed down and pulled onto the hard shoulder.

"He said he was running late to take his son to football."

Ireland, of Bathgate, West Lothian, had originally faced a charge of driving dangerously at excessive speed on the wet motorway. His plea to a reduced charge of driving carelessly at excessive speed in the conditions was accepted by the Crown.

John Mulholland, defending, said Ireland, who already had nine "live" penalty points on his licence, faced being disqualified under the totting up procedure if he got any more points.

He said Ireland was the managing director of a company specialising in organic waste management, and the consequences of a ban for him and his workers would be "enormous".

He said Ireland drove 60,000 miles a year on business, and the car he had been driving at the time of the offence was "brand new, and in excellent mechanical condition".

Sheriff Gillian Wade QC gave Ireland four weeks to pay the £1000 fine, and ordered a further six points to be endorsed on his licence.

She told him that his previous motoring convictions showed he had "a cavalier attitude to road traffic matters".

She said: "You were driving at excessive speeds in conditions which were described as torrential rain, for the purpose of taking your son to football, which put him at risk as well."

A hearing will be held on March 21, at the request of Ireland's defence, to determine if there are "special reasons" he should not be subject to a ban under the totting-up procedure. He was made subject to temporary disqualification in the interim.