A man who was caught driving while using a mobile phone has avoided a driving ban.

Philip Christmas, 36, of Holman Road, Halstead, admitted using the phone while driving on the A27 in Sussex in August 2020.

He had previously denied the charge.

At Crawley Magistrates' Court he was fined £103 and ordered to pay costs of £310 and a victim services fund of £34.

Christmas was given six penalty points which would have lead to a driving ban due to the number of points already accrued but magistrates agreed not to give him a ban.

The court was told if Christmas lost his licence it would cause his business to close and a number of employees could lose their jobs.

Magistrates also took into consideration his need to help care for his father.

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