Star NRL playmaker Josh Dugan has escaped with a slap on the wrist after pleading guilty to driving at 40km/h over the limit.

The Canberra Raiders five-eighth has three months to pay a $600 fine, while his licence remains suspended.

Dugan, 22, appeared at Canberra Magistrates Court on Thursday initially charged with driving on a suspended licence and another for high-range speeding.

The charges stem from August last year, when he was caught driving at 100km/h in a 60km/h zone by police officers travelling in a marked car behind him in Evatt, in Canberra’s north.

But on Thursday, the court dropped the suspended licence charge and downgraded the second to speeding in excess of 30km/h but less than 45km/h over the limit.

Dugan’s lawyer Kamy Saeedi said outside the court the prosecution had agreed Dugan had never properly been suspended.

“We managed to demonstrate that … and last night, they accepted that and they made the right decision not to prosecute on that basis,” he told reporters.

“It was a great result.

“Ultimately there was nothing really remarkable about this matter.”

Dugan, who was supported by Raiders chief Don Furner in court, said he’d learnt his lesson.

“I think I’m a lot smarter now,” he said.

“I made a mistake and I’m just looking to put it behind me and looking forward to the game (against North Queensland) on the weekend.”