Yellowknife (Dec 17/03) - A snowmobiler, caught speeding at nearly five times the posted limit, was fined $1,100 Tuesday but will be allowed to keep his driver's licence.

Doug Gillard, manager of Yellowknife municipal enforcement, said the fine was bittersweet victory.

"Our main goal is to get a conviction but we would certainly have preferred his licence be suspended," said Gillard, who prosecuted the case in traffic court.

A municipal enforcement officer, also on a snowmobile, clocked Yellowknife resident Kevin Varey at 148 km/hour on Range Lake on Dec. 6, where the posted limit is 30 km/hour.

The officer noted Varey's speed continued to climb after the radar reading.

"It is the fastest recorded speed we have ever brought before the court," Gillard told Justice of the Peace Sheila Leonardis.

Especially dangerous

Varey was nabbed at 3:40 p.m., an especially dangerous time to be speeding said Gillard.

"It was right around dusk and there were other snowmobilers on the lake."

It's also a well travelled area, frequented by everyone from skiers to dog walkers, Gillard added.

Speed limits for snowmobiles were instituted in 1993 after a man was hit and killed by a snowmobiler on Frame Lake.

Another man died last March when his snowmobile struck a mound of snow at nearly 100 km/hour, on Frame Lake.

Didn't know the limit

In court, Varey said he wasn't aware of the speed limit on the lake and characterized his excessive speed as "an easy thing to do.

"I know that's not an excuse... and I am sorry," he said.

The case was one of three in which Gillard asked for a licence suspension -- the other two involved cars street racing at speeds more than double the posted limit. All three requests were rejected.