FENLAND councillor Philip Hatton is prepared to spend thousands of pounds in an appeal against a sentence imposed on him by Ely magistrates, he announced in court today. Cllr Hatton, of Barton Road, Wisbech, had admitted failing to provide the police with

FENLAND councillor Philip Hatton is prepared to spend thousands of pounds in an appeal against a sentence imposed on him by Ely magistrates, he announced in court today.

Cllr Hatton, of Barton Road, Wisbech, had admitted failing to provide the police with the name of the driver who committed a speeding offence in his vehicle.

The court fined him £100 with £60 costs and a £15 surcharge, and put six points on his driving licence.

"This is totally wrong," he told the court after being sentenced. "I have 100 per cent proof that I was not the driver. "I could not have done any more, and I am going to appeal.

"This is just totally wrong," he continued, "justice has got to be done, and this is totally wrong."

When told he had 21 days to lodge an appeal, which could be expensive, Cllr Hatton said: "I don't care if it costs £5,000, justice has not been done."

Cllr Hatton had explained to the court that he kept a Ford vehicle at his wife's stables, which was available for a number of people to use. He had made inquiries to discover who committed the speeding offence in Lynn Road at Wisbech on January 6, but no one had owned up. He had since removed the vehicle from the premises.

The Crown Prosecution Service withdrew the speeding charge after Cllr Hatton admitted failing to identify the driver.