UK Edition
David Beckham employs 'Mr Loophole' lawyer to fight speeding charge
David Beckham has employed the lawyer known as Mr Loophole as he fights a speeding charge.
The former England captain has accepted that he broke the speed limit in a borrowed Bentley - but is challenging the case on a technicality.
The 43-year-old will argue that the legal notice informing him of the charge arrived too late and therefore was not valid, Wimbledon magistrates' heard yesterday.
Mr Beckham was clocked at 59 mph in a 40 zone between North Wharf Road and Bramley Road along the A40 in Kensington at 5:37pm on 23 January 2018.
He was represented in court by Nick Freeman, a Manchester based solicitor often referred to as 'Mr Loophole.'
During a case management hearing, which the celebrity chose not to attend, judge Barbara Barnes said: "This case then, I have listed, refers to a David Beckham and it refers to a speeding charge."
Mr Freeman spoke to confirm his client's plea of not guilty.
He stated that Mr Beckham accepted that he was the driver and that he was speeding, but contested the charge based the 14 day limit under which a notice of intended prosecution must arrive.
Mr Freeman said: "I'm not disputing it wasn't served. I'm saying it was served out of time."
He added: "There's no issue in terms of driving or speed limit. There's no issue taken with that at all."
He explained that Bentley had loaned the vehicle to Beckham and that the letter had arrived with them a day after the law permits.
Asked by the judge if the former footballer would be attending the trial, Mr Freeman replied: "I don't anticipate it."
The judge expressed concern that if the star lost his license, the consequences would need to be made clear to him.
Mr Freeman replied: "If the case goes against him and if the result is disqualification then I will make it abundantly clear."
Mr Freeman, represented Mr Beckham in 1999 when the footballer received an eight month ban for driving his Ferrari at 76mph in a 50 mph zone.
He successfully appealed against disqualification by arguing that the footballer was being pursued by paparazzi near his home in Cheshire at the time.
Mr Beckham, of Holland Park, denies one count of breaking the speed limit.
He will be tried at Wimbledon magistrates' court on 27 September.