Mr Loophole helps Becks sidestep speeding charge
DAVID Beckham avoided a speeding fine yesterday thanks to the celebrity lawyer known as Mr Loophole. The former England captain, 43, was cleared despite being clocked doing 59mph in a 40mph zone in a loaned £200,000 Bentley.
Nick Freeman on David Beckham’s speeding charge
Solicitor Nick Freeman appeared on his behalf at Wimbledon magistrates court and mounted a successful challenge by arguing legal papers were served late.
Summing up, the lawyer said of the footballer: “He is accepting he is driving, he is accepting the speed. That isn’t in any way in dispute.”
But he insisted the paperwork had to be correct for the case to go ahead, saying: “It may cause some disquiet but that is a matter for Parliament. It is a statutory requirement and if the law needs to be changed then so be it.”
Speed awareness charities were enraged by the successful defence.
It is hugely disappointing to see a role model like David Beckham shirking his responsibility and seeking to get off a speeding prosecution on a mere technicality
Joshua Harris, at road safety charity Brake, said: “It is hugely disappointing to see a role model like David Beckham shirking his responsibility and seeking to get off a speeding prosecution on a mere technicality.
“At the speed Mr Beckham was reported to be travelling, his stopping distance would be double that of someone driving within the limit – he should count himself very lucky that no incident occurred.”
Beckham was not present but ironically, he posted a selfie on Instagram also showing a cartoon character with steam coming out of its ears saying ‘London traffic. Angry’.
He was on his way to catch a train to Paris to join his wife Victoria for fashion week.
Magistrates heard the incident took place on January 23 this year just after 5:30pm on the A40 in Paddington, London, not far from Beckham’s Holland Park home.
Mr Freeman said a police error meant a speeding fine notice was sent to Bentley Motors, not Beckham’s home.
The notice, sent out on February 2, arrived at Bentley Motors on February 7, a day outside the statutory 14-day window and was therefore “defective”.
Mr Freeman, who has written a book called ‘The Art Of The Loophole,’ continued: “David Beckham is the defendant but in reality today what is on trial is Bentley Motors Limited postal system. The notice of intended prosecution must be served on the registered keeper within 14 days, in other words at the latest by February 6.”
District Judge Barbara Barnes said: “What I find is, on the balance of probabilities, it’s more likely than not that this notice of intended prosecution was actually not served on the registered keeper in the 14 days as required. The defendant in this case can’t be convicted.”
Mr Freeman’s celebrity clients include Sir Alex Ferguson, golfer Colin Montgomerie and Ranulph Fiennes.
He first represented Beckham in 1999 after the star received an eight-month ban for driving his Ferrari at 76mph in a 50mph zone.
The lawyer successfully appealed against the ban by arguing that Beckham was speeding because he was being pursued by paparazzi near his home in Cheshire.