Essex-man Nigel Mills, 55, who bought his DeLorean for £22,000, denied he was attempting something similar when he hit 88mph on the A12 near Margaretting.

He said: “I wasn’t trying to time travel.

“It was at 11am on Sunday and the road was completely clear.”

But the case was thrown out at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court after the police officers who saw him failed to turn up.

Mr Mill said he was “a car fan” and that “me and the rest of my family enjoyed the Back to the Future films. When I’m out in it a few people recognise it, they slow down and take pictures – drivers take pictures out of their windows or try to film you and I get approached at petrol stations.”