A DISTRICT judge caught two days running by Lancashire’s most prolific speed camera has been told - “You were not paying attention” and ordered to pay £1,385.

Civil court Judge Robert Talbot, 60, has become the latest high profile victim of a controversial Gatso on the A59 Longsight Road in Osbaldeston.

The judge is one of many motorists to attempt challenging the £60 fine and points with the argument that Lancashire County Council placed incorrect signage which did not inform drivers that the speed limit had reduced from 40mph to 30mph.

But a court in Manchester threw out his “special reasons” argument for non-endorsement of his licence.

Rejecting the argument, District Judge Jonathon Taaffe said he found the signs complied with mandatory road traffic regulations.

He said: “It would be perverse to suggest the signs indicated anything other than a 30 mph limit.

“In my view he broke the speed limit because he was either on auto-pilot or not paying care and attention to the road.”

Judge Talbot, who lives in Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to two counts of speeding on November 29 and 30, 2010 after being caught on camera at 41mph and 36mph respectively.

In evidence he said if the signs had been clearer he would have complied with the limit.

The judge, who believed the limit was 40 mph, was given six penalty points and fined £60 on each offence – and ordered to pay £1,265 costs.

The court heard he had twice declined the offer of a fixed penalty and initially pleaded not guilty.

According to Freedom of Information requests by local campaigner David Birtwhistle, temporary new signs were erected by LCC on October 28, 2010, and enforcement started in November.

However the eastbound signs were originally fitted facing the wrong way and were behind the speed camera. Following public criticism changes were made on January 13, 2011.

Today, Mr Birtwhistle said: “I’m disappointed at the judge’s decision and sad that his case has been thrown out.

"It is still just a money pit.”

The camera caught out 2,569 motorists in 2010. Of those, 921 paid £55,000 in fines and a further 1,257 paid a total of £106,000 to go on a speed awareness course.

Among them, Rovers players Brett Emerton, Nikola Kalinic and Chris Samba were each snapped going 36mph on November 23 and 24 and were fined and given penalty points.

And in August, Ian Banks claimed he was ‘bullied’ out of challenging his fine when LCC and Lancashire Police hired specialist traffic offence lawyer Andrew Perry to prosecute the outstanding cases.