A man who racked up a string of motoring offences was hit with $1,650 in fines at Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Clifton Ross of Middle Town Road, Pembroke, admitted speeding at 65 kph, not having a vehicle licence, and having illegal tinted glass in the front and rear of his Volkswagen Polo. Ross, 23, also admitted escaping lawful custody, but denied not having any third party insurance.

Crown counsel Paula Tyndale told the court that Police on patrol at 11.55 p.m. on August 3 were doing speed checks on Woodlands Road when they spotted Ross's car speeding.

The officers pursued the car and caused it to stop near the St. John's Road roundabout and issued him with a ticket. They found in the course of their inquiries that his driving licence had been suspended for a year in January, 2006 and that the vehicle was not licensed or insured.

The defendant ran off when he was informed that he would be searched, said Ms Tyndale, although officers quickly apprehended him on St. John's Road.

Ross apologised for wasting the time Police and court's time.

Senior Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo told him that his bid to escape was an episode of "stupidness". He handed him a six-month conditional discharge for that offence and imposed the fines in relation to the driving offences. He also handed him a six-month driving ban in addition to that which he is already serving.

Ross said his current ban still allowed him to drive his truck ? but Mr. Tokunbo banned him from all vehicles.

He also ordered that Ross come back to court tomorrow morning with his certificate of insurance, and granted him $1,000 bail until then.

Police have arrested a man after two women were punched in an attempted robbery in Hamilton yesterday.

A 24-year-old Devonshire woman and a 22-year-old Paget woman were walking at 1.30 a.m to their mopeds on Burnaby Street, when they were approached by an unknown man.

He grabbed both their handbags, but they held on to them.

The man then punched the Devonshire woman in her left eye before she ran off along Burnaby Street using her cell phone to call Police.

The attacker also punched the Paget woman in the face before fleeing the scene on foot towards Cedar Avenue.

The suspect, a 20-year-old Devonshire man, was arrested by Police on Brunswick Street, taken to Hamilton Police Station and detained.

Any witnesses to this incident should contact Hamilton CID on 295-0011.

Police are asking for the public's assistance in locating 17-year-old Felicia Every and 14-year-old Tyneika Bean.

Felicia Every is described as Portuguese, five foot three inches tall, weighing approximately 110 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a purple 'Gwen's Wonderland' T-shirt, long blue jeans and white sneakers. She is known to frequent the Loyal Hill, Devonshire area.

Tyneika Bean is described as dark skinned, five foot, six inches tall, weighing approximately 200 pounds with dark brown hair with red streaks.

She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt with gold writing on the front, blue jean shorts and bronze shoes. She is known to frequent the Angle Street, Pembroke area.

Anyone with any information should contact the Juvenile and Domestic Crime Unit on 299-4477 or the main Police number on 295-0011.