BBC NEWS | UK | England | Somerset | Driver fined over puddle splash

Jason Evans, 34, from Yeovil, splashed the man's jeans as he drove through 2ins-deep flood water near Charlton Mackrell in Somerset.

A policeman driving behind Mr Evans snapped a photo of the incident before pulling him over.

Mr Evans pleaded guilty to driving without due consideration for road users at Yeovil Magistrates' Court.

He told The Sun: "I wanted to apologise, but I did not want to stop the traffic."

In this case he had slowed down and was only doing 15mph... it was unintentional

Mr Evans was offered the chance to go on a two-day drivers' course, but declined.

He said it was an accident and he had not intentionally splashed the workman.

Workers were clearing drainage ditches after the road had partly flooded.

A spokeswoman for Avon and Somerset Police said the force was looking into the case, but that the offence was considered serious enough by the court and the Crown Prosecution Service to impose a fine.

"This was clearly an act which was inconsiderate to other road users and if the driver had shown a little more care or a little less speed he would not have found himself in court," she added.

Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation, said: "I think we've all seen and we all know motorists who do this kind of thing on purpose and I think if someone does do it on purpose they should be prosecuted.

"But in this case he had slowed down and was only doing 15mph. He hadn't realised how deep the puddle was. It was unintentional."