MANY people rely on driving in order to do their job.

Because of this, magistrates will lend a sympathetic ear to some offenders’ special pleas.

A driver can sometimes avoid disqualification if the consequence of losing his licence would be to deprive him of his livelihood.

It is a humane principle, but in the case of Basildon driver Alex McFarlane, it has been taken to the point where it makes a mockery of the law.

Among McFarlane’s offences were driving at 109mph, a danger anywhere, but a real menace on a 50mph stretch of road.

He had 42 points on his licence. Many drivers have lost their licences for far less dangerous behaviour.

Yet the magistrates allowed McFarlane to retain his.

McFarlane, or his lawyers, came up with a familiar list of mitigating factors, including mental stress and debts.

No problem is so great, however, that it gives a driver a green flag to flagrantly breach the law, and put other, innocent lives at risk.

Someone who treats the law as arrogantly as McFarlane did, is likely to regard the magistrates’ decision as a sign of weakness, and treat it with contempt rather than gratitude.

The magistrates stressed that it only requires one more offence from McFarlane, even a minor one, and he really will lose his licence.

Next time, though, he could well end up killing somebody.