Suffolk’s police and crime commissioner says the public have been “let down” after a motorcyclist caught going 133mph on the A14 walked away from court with a £50 fine and three-month driving ban.

Cambs Times: Stephen Higgins has been sentenced for speeding. Leaving Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Court.Stephen Higgins has been sentenced for speeding. Leaving Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Court.

Stephen Higgins, 40, of Church Road, Tostock, admitted speeding at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court yesterday, saying it was a “ridiculous speed”.

“It was the end of a long day. I had done three very long jobs that day. I was exhausted and wanted to get home,” he told the court.

Reacting to yet another high speeder on the county’s roads, Suffolk’s PCC said Higgins’ ban was still not strong enough.

“Yet again, I would suggest that the criminal justice system has let the public down. I’m getting pretty sick and tired of this,” said Tim Passmore. “We’ve got to get the message out that sentencing should be a deterrent to other potential offenders.”

Higgins said he lived in rural Suffolk “in the middle of nowhere” and had two part-time jobs, typically starting at 4.30am.

He was caught on a Honda motorbike on the eastbound carriageway at Higham, to the west of Bury, as he was coming home from work in Newmarket at 7.56pm on April 30.

“I know it was a ridiculous speed. It’s not indicative of how I usually use the road,” he said.

The court heard he was given a 28-day driving ban in 2012 but it was not specified what the ban was for.

Sentencing, chairman of the magistrates Sarah Leigh said: “This was a huge speed. You don’t need to be told by us how dangerous that could have been.”

She said of his three-month ban: “It could have been an awful lot more.”

Higgins, who lives alone – his family are in London, said the loss of his licence would stop him being able to get to work but magistrates still banned him.

He was also ordered to pay court costs and a victim surcharge, bringing the total amount he owed the court up to £165.

His ban comes just weeks after another driver was banned for going more than 130mph in west Suffolk.

Louie Howlett, 21, of Lakenheath high street, was banned for 56 days on August 2 after being caught at 154mph on the A11 at Icklingham.That sentence attracted strong criticism from police, who wanted it increased, however an effort to challenge it has proved unsuccessful.

“Police have looked into any available avenues for appeal and unfortunately this can’t be progressed further,” a spokeswoman confirmed yesterday.

Mr Passmore reiterated he would be raising the matter of sentencing speeding drivers at the next meeting of the criminal justice board in September.

He cited both Howlett’s and Higgins’ sentences from magistrates as too low.

“This does absolutely nothing to support the work the constabulary is doing, trying to make our roads safer,” he said.

“I’m appalled we’ve got to this situation. It’s very demoralising to those officers who put in a huge amount of effort to try and keep our roads safe.”

“This provides more evidence that these sentencing guidelines need a fundamental review as a matter of great urgency.”

National charity Brake said speed limits were in place to save lives.

“The lenient sentencing in this case is an all-too-familiar story,” said the charity’s spokesman Jack Kushner.

“We need magistrates’ courts to send a message that they take these offences seriously, and to provide a real deterrent to dangerous law-breaking drivers.”

Mr Kushner said it was a “miracle” no one was injured or killed by Higgins’ speeding.

“This is an appalling case of dangerous, excessive speed,” he said.

“Breaking the speed limit by any amount is a serious offence, but individuals who selfishly flout the law by exceeding the limit by such significant amounts are putting themselves and other road users at risk of death or very serious injury.

“The motorcyclist in this incident has shown a shocking disregard for the safety of other road users, and it is a miracle that no-one was injured or killed.”

Mr Passmore and Suffolk’s chief constable Gareth Wilson will be at the Arc shopping centre in Bury St Edmunds between 11am-2pm to meet the public and answer questions on policing in Suffolk today.