Motorist blamed dyslexia for speeding at 103mph

A motorist caught speeding at more than 100mph claimed he did not realise he was going so fast because he is dyslexic. Matthew Cook was spotted weaving in and out of traffic as he sped along the A27 between Falmer and Hollingbury in East Sussex.

A concerned driver dialled 999 and officers clocked the 40-year-old doing 103mph in a 60mph limit. Witnesses said Cook, who is terminally ill, was smoking a cigarette and gesticulating at other drivers while passing their vehicles.



But Hove Crown Court was told that when questioned about his driving, Cook told police his dyslexia was to blame. Prosecutor John Marsden Lynch said: “He told the police officer that he did not understand the speed dial because he was suffering from dyslexia.”

Cook admitted a single charge of dangerous driving. Recorder Christopher Morris-Coole said he was “sceptical” about Cook’s explanation and banned him from driving for three years.