A scrap dealer overloaded his van causing two old washing machines to fall in the road, narrowly missing a car, a court heard.

Douglas McPhee, 26, was stopped by police on the Little Snoring Road, Kettlestone, on the A1067 shortly after the incident, in which no was injured, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Hector Maclean-Watt, prosecuting, said scrap metal dealer McPhee was driving the overloaded van when two washing machines fell off into the road in front of a car with a baby on board.

He said McPhee stopped at the scene and put the scrap back on his van, but then police prevented him from moving off because of the state of his vehicle.

“They forbade him from proceeding any further with the vehicle.

McPhee, of the The Common, South Creake, admitted dangerous driving on January 13, 2019.

The court heard since the incident he was already serving a six month driving ban because of penalty points on his licence.

Sentencing him, Judge Andrew Shaw told him the dangerous driving related to the state of his vehicle, rather than his driving but said: “It was clearly dangerous.”

He said he had a poor driving record and said: “Washing machines don’t just fall off the back of a lorry. Two washing machines fell in front of a woman who had a baby in the car.”

He said he had overloaded the vehicle and said “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

He said luckily no one was hurt or damage caused but added: “The risk of harm was certainly very great indeed.”

He imposed a 16 month driving ban starting from this latest hearing and made him pay £500 costs and do 180 hours unpaid work.

He also has to do an extended driving test before getting back behind the wheel.

Puneet Grewal, for McPhee, said he was remorseful. She said he became a scrap dealer two years ago and felt he had let people down.