A motoring journalist has pleaded guilty to speeding after being caught driving at speeds of up to 100mph on one of the UK's most dangerous roads.
Joe Achilles, 40, was hauled before a court after he filmed himself in a super car reaching the top speeds on roads in the Peak District before uploading the footage to Facebook.
He recorded his high-speed journey in a £100,000 Audi R8 along the single-lane Snake Pass in the Derbyshire area of the district.
The London-based journalist then uploaded the video online where it was spotted by officers from Derbyshire Constabulary’s Roads Policing Unit.
Achilles, who has 57,000 subscribers on Youtube, describes himself as a "non click bait" motoring YouTuber who is known as "Mr BMW."
Detectives were able to use state of the art technology to prove Achilles was speeding as he drove the high-powered sports car in the face of oncoming traffic on November 3.
In total 11 average speeds were calculated as the car was driven towards Sheffield. Not one was within the 50mph limit.
Officers found the slowest he was travelling was 58mph with the the fastest being a reckless 93mph along the scenic road which is a notorious accident black-spot.
Achilles, of Uxbridge, was summonsed to Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to speeding.
He was slapped with a fine of £615, ordered to pay costs of £620 and his licence endorsed with six points.
Sergeant Adam Shipley described Achilles' attempt to get views on social media as "pathetic" after the case
He said: “This type of driving is careless, reckless and selfish.
“On this occasion, thankfully nobody died, but all too often the outcome [is] very different.
“For a man who drives for a profession I am appalled that he seemingly has so little value for the lives of other road users.
“The roads of the UK are not race tracks and should not be used as such.
“Strapping a Go Pro to the side of a car and driving in this manner – all in a bid to get viewers on social media – is quite frankly pathetic.
“I hope this case sends a message to others like Joe Achilles who think they can come to our county and put lives at risk.
“We may not see you at the time but know that we have the capability to ensure that you are brought to justice.”
Derbyshire Police said officers were investigating an entirely different matter when they stumbled upon the footage which showed Achilles clearly driving above the speed limit
Sgt Shipley said: “We needed to be able to prove the speed the car was travelling at along what, myself and my team know only too well, is one of our most deadly roads.”
Technical support manager for RSS, Steve Callaghan, was able to work out exactly how fast the Audi R8 was traveling after examining the video file and working out the locations the car was passing through.
“The Facebook video showed road markings and traffic signs that were distinctive, and which were able to be identified in the video as well as the Google Earth Pro application.
“Distances between the signs were measured with the application and the timing of the journeys between the signs was calculated from the video file.
"With the distances and times established it was possible to calculate a series of average speeds between the landmarks."
Achilles' website says he runs a London based Chauffeur Company and his website claims he is "professional, engaging driver with personality, discretion and charm."
He also claims to have "chaperoned some of the world’s top models and celebrities, ensuring they get to and from jobs, events and private appointments quickly, on time and in a calm and comfortable manner."
