A DRIVER who tried to avoid five speeding fines has narrowly avoided jail.

Joel Junior Burke, 48, from Newport, was caught by speed cameras on the M4 motorway in his Audi S3 car between February 2019 and July 2020.

He was captured travelling at 108mph in a 70mph zone near Magor between junctions 23a and 24 westbound.

On other occasions he was caught speeding at 58mph in a 50mph zone approaching the former toll plaza on the Prince of Wales Bridge, and once in Gloucestershire.

When he was sent notices of intended prosecution, Burke filled them in making up names and providing addresses in Bristol.

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There was no responses from new letters sent out and no trace of any such people.

John Ryan, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “Extensive enquiries were then made by the police which generated a significant amount of time and effort.”

Officers used cell site analysis to prove it was Burke who was in the vehicle every time a speed camera was triggered.

The defendant, of East Dock Close, pleaded guilty to five counts of perverting the course of justice.

He had 112 previous convictions which included manslaughter, attempted murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, driving while disqualified and handling stolen goods.

Scott Bowen, representing Burke, said his client had “changed his life around” in recent years and was a father-of-three providing for his children.

His barrister added: “This offending arose because the defendant was worried about being disqualified from driving.”

The defendant was a delivery driver who “stupidly” committed the offences to try and avoid prosecution, Mr Bowen added.

Judge David Wynn Morgan told Burke: “You are a career criminal who should know better.

“You have described your offending as silly mistakes.

“They weren’t silly, they were criminal.”

Judge Wynn Morgan said the only reason he wasn’t going to prison was because the defendant’s partner had made a “heartfelt plea” for him not to.

He said to him: “You should go down to her on bended knees.”

Burke for 18 months, suspended for two years.

He was ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and made the subject of a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement.