Executive caught doing 111mph escapes driving ban

Published 4 Jan 2012 09:11

A high-flying business executive has escaped a driving ban after being caught travelling at almost twice the general speed limit in his powerful Porche GT3 sports car.

Marco Pagni, Chief Administrative Officer of Alliance Boots, the high street chemist, was detected driving at 111mph on the main A4 Enniskillen to Belfast road at Lisbellaw last October 16. The road is subject to the general speed limit to 60mph.

He was fined £500 and given five penalty points.

A prosecutor told Fermanagh Court that when police stopped Pagni he told them: "I'm sorry."

Defence barrister, Mr. Brian Fee, described Pagni as a "very successful businessman" who was born and brought up in Northern Ireland. He now lives at Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire, England.

Handing in a letter from Boots, Mr. Fee told District Judge Mervyn Bates that the company has a very significant number of branches and Pagni's job requires him to undertake a very substantial amount of travel each year.

He submitted that the gravity of the case could be marked by a significant financial penalty rather than a driving disqualification, pointing out the Pagni already has six penalty points endorsed on his licence: three for a previous speeding offence and three for using a mobile phone while driving.

Mr. Fee said this was Pagni's first time in court for speeding

Pagni previously held senior management positions in McDonalds and Texas Instruments having started his career as a law lecturer at Oxford University before becoming a barrister.

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