A man has been fined almost £300 for taking his hands off the wheel to make a two fingered gesture at a speed camera in Suffolk.

Perrie Harvey, 36, of London Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, pleaded guilty to driving while not being in the position to have proper control after being snapped by a road traffic camera while he was driving a Land Rover on the A14 at Newmarket on April 17 this year.

At at hearing at Ipswich Magistrates’ court on Friday, prosecutor Waseem Raja showed the picture the camera had taken to the court.

He said: “You can clearly see from the way he is gesturing that he was not in full control of the vehicle.“His hands are not on the steering wheel.”

In mitigation, a statement from Harvey’s solicitors said a driving conviction would increase his insurance premiums and that he had already paid a substantial amount in defence costs.

Presiding Magistrate Paul Thacker handed Harvey three points on his licence and fined him £293.

He was also made to pay £100 in court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore said Harvey’s actions were ‘remarkably stupid’.

He said: “All I would say is that speed cameras are there for a purpose.

“Contempt for everything that is done to keep our roads safe and moving is unacceptable.

“If he got fined for that, so be it.

“It will probably act as a lesson to others that speed limits and cameras are there for a reason.

“The worst thing that can happen is someone is seriously injured.

“I don’t think it’s funny, I think it is remarkably stupid.”