The England cricketer Graeme Swann escaped a driving ban yesterday after his Jaguar sports car was clocked doing 74mph in a 50mph zone.
The spin-bowler appeared before magistrates accused of failing to respond to a speeding notice.
But his case was delayed for more than an hour after he mistakenly drove to a court 42 miles away.
Swann was due to appear before Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning but drove to Hereford Magistrates’ Court instead.
When he finally arrived, JPs were told that his Jaguar XF was caught on a speed camera on the A40 near Pencraig, Herefordshire, on May 25 last year.
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The England and Nottinghamshire Country Cricket star was sent a notice of intended prosecution to which he did not reply.
He also failed to respond to a further three letters sent to his home in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire.
Swann claimed his agent had been driving his car as a favour, while he drove his wife and child to Cardiff.
He admitted receiving the first letter but said the three others had not been received.
He told the court: “During the summer I spend two or three days at home at any time if I’m lucky. My wife handles the post.
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“It would either be opened by my wife if she thought it was important or it would be placed in a big pile and looked at by me when I found the time to go through it.”
He added that he had been shocked to receive a court summons in the post after replying to the first letter.
He said: “I presumed it had been put to bed in my absence, I was quite surprised when it came through and a little bit annoyed.
“Suddenly I had a letter saying I had failed to respond to something when I actually had responded and that wound me up.”
But magistrates rejected his claims and gave him a six point penalty and a £1,385 fine and costs.
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Tim Morris, the chairman of the Bench, told him: “We have not been satisfied by yourselves that the four letters have gone astray, particularly as the first letter which was similarly addressed was received.”
In February last year Swann was cleared of drink-driving after a judge ruled that blood samples taken by police could not be admitted as evidence.
Swann told Nottingham Magistrates’ Court that he had driven to a local supermarket to buy screwdrivers after one of his cats became stuck under his floorboards.