David Beckham has been banned from driving for 6 months and fined $1,000 after using a cell phone behind the wheel of his Bentley

Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images

David Beckham has been slapped with a $1,000 fine and a six-month ban from driving after using a mobile phone.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid, and LA Galaxy soccer star was seen using the device while driving his Bentley in London.
Beckham had pleaded guilty by post, Scotland Yard said.
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Football superstar David Beckham was reprimanded today by a judge for putting the public at risk, as he was banned from driving for six months for using his phone while at the wheel.

The 44-year-old former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder was spotted by a member of the public holding his phone while in slow moving traffic in Great Portland Street, central London.

Oblivious that he was being watched, Beckham was photographed at the wheel of his Bentley and the pictures were sent on to the police who charged him with using a mobile phone while driving.

He entered a written plea to the offence and appeared at Bromley magistrates court this afternoon to be banned from driving for six months and fined £750 ($1,000).

"At the time, it’s said the traffic was slow-moving and you may have thought it was stationary", said District Judge Catherine Moore.

"But that’s no excuse in law, it’s still distracting to use a mobile phone. It’s a risk to yourself and other road users."

Beckham’s lawyer, Gerrard Tyrrell, told the court the star will now be unable to take his children to and from school and will miss driving which he finds "relaxing."

"Mr Beckham has no recollection of the day in question or this particular incident", he said.

"He has seen the photographs and his only observation is it looks as if it is stationary traffic.

"His view is he can’t remember and so he is going to plead guilty."

Photo by Neil Mockford/GC Images

Offering mitigation, Mr Tyrrell added: "Mr Beckham, rather strangely, actually likes driving, he drives a lot and it is something that he finds relaxing, rather oddly.

"He takes his children to school each day when he can, and he picks them up when he can. This will deprive them of that."

Beckham had six points on his licence before this offence, for two speeding cases from February 2016 and January 2018, the court heard.

He was given a further six points today, taking the total to 12 which meant he faced an automatic ban.

Prosecutor Matthew Spratt said the incident happened on November 21 last year, when a member of the public, Richard Cooper, spotted Beckham and went to try to take his photo.

"Instead of looking straight forward and paying attention to the road, he appeared to be looking at something in his lap", he said.

"On a closer look inside, the defendant was operating a handheld device. A photo was taken of the defendant holding a mobile phone in an upright position."

Beckham, wearing a grey suit and tie, sat with his hands in his lap throughout the brief hearing, speaking only to confirm his name, age and address.

He nodded as the sentence was passed and swiftly left the courtroom.

Beckham received criticism last year when he avoided a speeding conviction for going 59mph in a 40mph zone in January last year, despite admitting he had been going too fast.

He hired the lawyer nicknamed Mr Loophole, Nick Freeman, to fight the case, successfully arguing that the notice of prosecution had been sent out too late by police.

He also successfully dodge a ban in 1999 for speeding, after telling a court he had been trying to get away from pursuing paparazzi photographers.

No details of Beckham’s previous speeding convictions were given in court today.

The star, who lives in Holland Park, must pay £100 court costs and a £75 victim surcharge on top of the £750 fine, with all money to be paid within a week.

He will automatically regain his licence in October once his ban has expired.

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