Hoon, 80, slept while driving at 160km/h

Australia's oldest hoon driver has been slapped with a suspended jail sentence after claiming he only drove at 160km/h because he dozed off at the wheel.

Farmer and former Sunday school teacher Ron Bell, 80, said his life has been destroyed by his act of hooning last July and he can no longer go to bowls or church.

The octogenarian drove at more than 150km/h for 23km in a 100km/h zone outside Horsham, the Horsham Magistrate's Court heard.



Bell originally blamed his leadfoot on being late for an appointment, police said, but yesterday he told court he had temporarily fallen asleep.

But in a scathing attack, Magistrate Richard Pithouse said this was the most "nonsensical'' excuse he had ever heard. Mr Pithouse said his legacy would be "the fool who speeded''

He branded Bell a "fool'', banned him from driving for five years, imposed a $3000 fine and a 14-day imprisonment suspended for two years.