The son of north-east billionaire Sir Ian Wood was banned from the road yesterday after being caught speeding in his Rolls Royce.
Philanthropist and businessman Garreth Wood begged the court to allow him to keep his licence so he could travel for his charity work.
Wood is a patron of the Archie Foundation, and is on the committee of several other charities, regularly travelling around the country at the last minute to attend meetings and events.
Yesterday, Perth Sheriff Court heard Wood, who is married to former Miss Scotland Nicola Jolly, travels around 35,000 miles a year.
It was on one of those trips to Aberdeen that Wood was caught doing 72mph in a 30mph roadworks zone in his powerful 6.5 litre Rolls Royce Wraith V12 Auto Coupe.
Depute fiscal Carol Whyte told the court a speed gun recorded the 36-year-old’s pace on the A90 Perth to Aberdeen road, at Kinfauns, at 11.20pm on August 20 last year.
She added: “Road workers were on part of this road at the time.”
Wood’s defence solicitor Lynn Freeland urged the sheriff to consider the impact a disqualification would have on the charities supported by Wood, as well as his business, The Speratus Group.
She said: “I would ask the court to impose penalty points and allow him to keep driving. He realises his licence is a privilege to be cherished.
“He engages in a huge amount of charity work – it goes outwith that of a normal person. Last weekend he donated £250,000 of lifesaving equipment to the neo-natal unit at Wishaw General Hospital.
“He is due to have a second child through a surrogate in the US in October and is due to go over for six weeks. He will need to drive around between hospitals and other organisations.
“With the greatest respect to the court, and in no way attempting to minimise the offence, I believe he is an unusual individual whose loss of licence would have a massive effect, not only on himself, but on several charities.”
But Sheriff Gillian Wade rejected the plea for leniency after noting his six previous motoring offences, including speeding.
She said: “I have had regard to the testimonials and references provided and they are all very favourable. Mr Wood is very philanthropic.
“However, this is the seventh road traffic offence and a fourth speeding conviction. He was travelling at two and a half times the speed limit and, importantly, workers were engaged on the road at the time.”
She disqualified Wood, of Gifford, Haddington, for three months and fined him £750.