EXCESSIVE speed is one of the major causes of death or serious injury on our roads - and anyone who drives at more than 100mph is putting themselves, everyone else in their car, and other road users at risk.

EXCESSIVE speed is one of the major causes of death or serious injury on our roads - and anyone who drives at more than 100mph is putting themselves, everyone else in their car, and other road users at risk.

When an inexperienced teenager drives at 106mph in a car she is unfamiliar with and with two young children on board, it is behaviour verging on the reckless.

Samantha Leverett can consider herself very fortunate that she only ended up with a 56-day ban and a £210 fine.

Travelling at that speed, she could easily have ended up in a serious accident. At 106mph there simply is not the time to take the necessary evasive action if problems arise.

It is no excuse to say that she was unfamiliar with the car - all cars come fitted with a speedometer and if you are unfamiliar with a vehicle then you should take it easy before you know exactly how it handles.

At 18 Samantha Leverett has many more years of driving ahead of her.

Other motorists will hope that this ban and fine will come as a salutory lesson to the teenager and that when she does get her licence back at the end of the summer she will treat the roads with more respect.

MATHIAS Edoh Agbenokoudji fears for his future if he returns to his home country of Togo - yet he was put through an appalling ordeal by British immigration officials last week.

Despite doing everything right, he was threatened with being put back on a plane to his homeland . . . it was only after his solicitor got involved that the officials accepted they had made a mistake and that his appeal had still to be heard.

That is a dreadful way to treat someone who has been persecuted in his own country - but it shows up a very real difficulty in the way this country treats refugees and asylum seekers.

Some, like Mathias, Matt Rahmati, and Elton Ismali, have real fear of returning to their homeland and really want to make a new life in this country.

Others, like Abu Quatada, use their presence in this country to stir up ill-feeling about their hosts - and there is understandable concern about his release from custody.

What is needed from the immigration service is an understanding of concerns of genuine refugees and an ability to spot those who really want to contribute something to our society.

WHEN Ipswich manager Jim Magilton really wants to sign a player, his persistance is dogged.

Town fans saw that with his pursuit of David Norris last season and also his desire to sign Leicester defender Gareth McAuley.

Now the Irishman has joined Norris at Portman Road, and it is clear that Magilton really is using Marcus Evans' millions to build the team he wants.

After the arrival of Dutchman Pim Balkestein earlier this week, the team should have a stronger defence next season - an element that has been missing from the club over the last few years.

McAuley should be a welcome addition to the club and now has a couple of months to get used to his new surroundings and new team-mates before the big kick-off.

Magilton is building the team he wants - Town fans will be hoping it will be able to gel as well as he clearly thinks it will.