A Bury St Edmunds man has been handed penalty points on his driving licence after he admitted towing an insecure load on a trailer.

Graham Cotton, 71, was behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Omega, which was pulling a trailer, in Ipswich on September 17 last year, Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard.

Cotton was stopped during routine checks by police and the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) at the Copdock interchange, the court heard.

Mark Jackson, prosecuting, said the load on the trailer was tied down but not secure and could have fallen off at any time.

Cotton, of Fornham Road, Bury St Edmunds, previously pleading guilty to a charge of using a trailer with danger of causing injury due to security of load.

A further charge against Cotton of using a trailer with defective brakes, which he was due to face trial for on Wednesday, was dropped by Mr Jackson.

Cotton, who was not represented in court, said that he had been using trailers for a long time but admitted that the load was moving.

Magistrates handed Cotton three penalty points on his licence, and fined him £80.

He was ordered to pay costs of £105 and a victim surcharge of £34.