More than 555 Cambridgeshire motorists caught using mobile phones - even though points and fine doubled a year ago

An average of two drivers every three days are being fined in Cambridgeshire for using a handheld mobile phone while driving.

Cambs Police say more than 555 motorists have been caught in the first year since harsher penalties came into force.

On March 1, 2017, the penalties for this offence doubled from £100 and three penalty points to £200 and six points.

Over the weekend Cambs police tweeted a photo of a van stopped in the country for using a mobile phone – and discovered the driver had only passed his test recently.

“Just stopped in for using mobile phone while driving; driver held licence for less than two years so will revert to provisional and 6 points £200 #fatalfour.”

Last week a man was convicted at Stevenage Magistrates Court of using a mobile phone whilst driving and given six penalty points on his license and more than £1000 in fines and costs.

The incident took place at the scene of a serious road collision on the M25, where a man was being extracted from a vehicle by firefighters.

The man, from Aberford Road, Borehamwood, driving an Audi A4 convertible, slowed down in order to film the incident on his mobile phone as he passed.

Officers at the scene shouted for him to put his phone down, prompting the man to drop his phone and speed away.