A man who was caught driving at 116mph has been told he’ll not be allowed to work as a cabbie in Glasgow.

It was claimed that Mohammad Chaudhry was struggling to keep up with family members who were leading the way to London in another car.

He was stopped by police after they watched him zoom past on the A74 near Lockerbie in June 2014.

Mr Chaudhry, who previously worked as a private hire driver, was later fined £500 but appeared in front of the city’s licensing committee this week in a bid to become a cabbie again.

His solicitor Paul Williams admitted that it was a “significant” speeding charge but highlighted that his client was never charged with dangerous driving.

He said: “He and some family members were travelling in convoy to go to London. He was having difficulty keeping up with them.

“One other black mark against him was that when he pertained that conviction he didn’t follow through with the licensing committee and notify of that conviction.”

Licensing chiefs were unimpressed by Mr Williams’ explanation of events and took a dim view of Mr Chaudhry’s claim that he had learned his lesson.

Committee chairman Alex Wilson described the speeding offence as “very serious”, and added: “He was having difficulty keeping up? That has to be one of the most laughable excuses I’ve ever heard. I don’t buy that at all.

“We’re not talking about 70mph or going just over it. You would give Lewis Hamilton a run for his money at that speed.

“Going at 116mph is dangerous driving. I think it beggar’s belief that he would even say he was struggling to keep up with someone.”

Gary Gray questioned whether Mr Chaudhry would hit those speeds if cab customers told him they were in a rush.

He described the speeding offence as “unbelievable”, adding that it was a “black mark” against Mr Chaudhry.

The committee decided to refuse Mr Chaudhry’s private hire cab licence application although Bailie Hanif Raja expressed his dissent at the decision.