English Premiership
Cole hit with four month ban
2010-01-29 15:45
LONDON - Chelsea and England footballer Ashley Cole was banned from the road for four months on Friday for driving at over 100 mph in a 50 mph zone in what he said was an attempt to escape pursuing paparazzi photographers.
Police clocked the 29-year-old defender driving his black Lamborghini Gallardo at 104 mph on the A3 in Kingston, Surrey in November 2008.
Magistrates also imposed a 1,000-pound fine and warned Cole he could face prison if he flouted the ban, the Press Association reported.
However, Cole's legal team immediately launched an appeal putting his sentence on hold until a hearing at a Crown Court.
Cole, who is married to singer and presenter Cheryl Cole, was convicted at an earlier hearing by Kingston magistrates.
At that trial, Richard Lomax, prosecuting, described the events of Nov. 17 2008.
He said: "The defendant was stopped and spoken to and the words he said at the time, when it became plain that somebody was pointing a
speed camera at him, were 'Can't you do anything about those idiots who keep chasing me?'."
He added: "It cannot be a defence to the offence of speeding that one is trying to get away in the circumstances of members of the press showing excessive attention."
Cole, of Shackleford, Surrey, told police he thought he was driving at 80mph when he was stopped just after midday.
He did not attend court on Friday.