An Ilkley lorry driver drove for longer than permitted because he failed to understand the legislation, heard Skipton magistrates.

Company boss Charles Hey, 60, admitted breaches of the legislation preventing HGV drivers driving for more than four-and-a-half hours without taking a 45-minute break and for longer than 10 hours in a working day.

Magistrates heard on Friday that Hey, the boss of Charles Hey & Sons, Cowpasture Road, Ilkley, and a 'pillar of the community' had breached the regulations on four separate occasions on the A65 Settle bypass in September last year.

In addition, he would have to go before the traffic commissioner when he could have his licence revoked.

Tony Wood, prosecuting for the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), told the court that the regulations were in place to safeguard both the safety of the driver and other road users.

He said Hey had been subject to a VOSA roadside check when details of his journeys had been downloaded and checked.

On September 7, he had driven a Man three-axle wagon for five hours and 26 minutes with just a 15-minute break instead of the required 45 minutes. He had also driven the vehicle for 11 hours and two minutes - more than an hour over the maximum working day of 10 hours.

On September 17, he was again on the Settle bypass having driven 59 minutes over the permitted 10 hours in the working day.

And on September 25, he drove for five hours and 13 minutes with just a 15-minute break.

In mitigation, Michael Cunningham said Hey had been driving since he was 21 years old and had always been careful to follow the legislation surrounding hours driven by HGV drivers.

He said he had been a victim of new digital recording methods and a basic misunderstanding of changes to the legislation brought in to match EU rules.

"He has not taken his breaks in the proper order," said Mr Cunningham.

Mr Cunningham said Hey had now taken steps to make sure he never went over times again, including installing a simple 'egg timer' device in his cab that alerted him when he needed to stop.

Mr Cunningham said Hey would now have to go before the traffic commissioner and could lose his operating licence.

"He is a law-abiding man and is well thought of in the community, I would call him a pillar of the community," said Mr Cunningham.

Magistrates told Hey that the regulations were in place to safeguard public safety and it was very important that they were followed.

For the offences on September 25 and September 17, he was fined £175 and £170. There were no separate penalties for the other two offences. He was also ordered to pay costs of £500 and £15 victims surcharge.