Using a mobile phone while driving has cost a motorist in Cornwall almost £1,000 amid a major police crackdown on the offence.

During June alone 48 people saw their case before Bodmin Magistrates Court, all charged with using a handheld mobile phone / device while driving a motor vehicle on a road.

Many of those cases are still going through the court to a reach a conclusion.

One defendant now sentenced, however, is Peter Anthony Brooks, who received a heavy penalty for using hand-held mobile phone while driving along the A390 in Truro last July.

Brooks, of Tregavethan, Truro, initially pleaded not guilty to the charge, relating to an offence on July 18, 2023.

However, it was proved by magistrates in Truro in his absence and he was sentenced on June 28.

The 58-year-old was fined £220 and ordered to pay £88 towards victim services. However, he was also ordered to pay costs of £620 to the Crown Prosecution Service, bringing the overall total up considerably to £928.

Six points were added to Brooks’ licence.

Other drivers also caught for the same offence include Alexandr Poiata, who received a similarly high penalty.

The 34-year-old was sentenced at Bodmin Law Courts on Friday (July 5) for using a handheld mobile phone while driving along Trenance Avenue in Newquay on May 21 this year.

Poiata pleaded guilty to this, as well as to driving whilst disqualified.

For the two offences, Poiata was fined £538, with six points added to his licence. He was also ordered to pay £85 towards costs and a £215 surcharge towards funding victim services, making a total of £838.

Not everyone has to pay quite such a high price however, although it still runs into hundreds for a single call.

For the same offence of driving while using a mobile phone, 29-year-old Matthew James Wright from Looe was ordered to pay £440 (£250 fine, £100 surcharge, £90 costs) while visitor to Cornwall James Richard, aged 21, whose address was given as a property near to the M4 overbridge in Hook, had to pay £398 (£220 fine, £88 surcharge and (£90 costs) after he committed the offence at Highertown in Truro last October.

Both men also had six points added to their driving licences after appearing before Bodmin Law Courts.