United star Fletcher fined over driving offence

January 29, 2010

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Darren Fletcher in action at the Carling Cup semi-final at Old Trafford.

Manchester United star Darren Fletcher has been ordered to pay more than £1,500 after being convicted of a motoring offence.

The Scotland international midfielder - represented by celebrity lawyer Nick Freeman - was found guilty of failing to provide information as to the identity of a driver caught speeding behind the wheel of his car.

Penrith Magistrates’ Court heard Fletcher’s father had been caught speeding while driving the footballer’s top of the range 2007-reg Range Rover on the M6 in Cumbria in November 2008.

Fletcher had failed to respond to a request from Cumbria Police to identify the driver and had been summonsed to court on a charge of “failing to give information regarding a driver’s identity”.

After a half-day trial Fletcher - a first team regular at Old Trafford - was found guilty of the offence.

Fletcher was given six penalty points, fined £625 and ordered to pay £900 prosecution costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Mr Freeman - dubbed Mr Loophole for regularly finding ways of getting his clients acquitted of motoring offences - immediately submitted a notice to appeal against the conviction at the Crown Court.

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sallyg, Lancs (29/01/2010 at 16:31)

I think Freeman has a technical point of law to raise that he wants to be heard in a court of record. The failure to win in the Magistrates' Court was probably intentional, with a view to bringing up a technical point later on, and winning, setting a precedent, and earning more costs.

Is It Me? (29/01/2010 at 17:33)

That is one big punishment. Muggers and burglars get less!

CorneredAllTheLuck, Tameside (29/01/2010 at 18:01)

£1,500
Whip round then?

Abu Hamza's right hand man. (29/01/2010 at 18:35)

Three or four minutes overtime will pay for his fine. I wish I only had to work a couple of minutes to pay my speeding fine off !

BALL AND BAT, ALL OVER (29/01/2010 at 18:44)

I think the victim charge is a joke the only victim is darren fletcher £1,500 id have appealed aswell even if he is on a massive sum per week and six points thats just pathetic just because he didnt name the person he might have forgotten utter scum dont get this treatment totally uncalled for i hope he sues the police for being a victim,come on mr loop hole work your magic.

J smith (29/01/2010 at 19:48)

total fines £1540, how long will he have to work to earn that, a whole 30 mins. Lets have fines based on incomes like they have in Sweden.

blue eyed boy, oz (30/01/2010 at 06:22)

get SAF to ask for more time to submit an appeal, Fletcher being from Utd obviously thinks the rules are different for him, should double the fine and points for frivolous appeal, heard that somewhere before.

STALLION, BOLTON (30/01/2010 at 06:27)

he should have said he was getting chased by the papparazi

Lambo (30/01/2010 at 13:16)

Ball and Bat...one eyed naive fool

Acid, Chadderton (30/01/2010 at 16:04)

blue eyed boy, oz
30/01/2010 at 06:22

The bitterness is strong in this one.

When in Rome (30/01/2010 at 22:32)

Misread the headlines at first and thought it read diving.

Supreme Being, Manchester. (01/02/2010 at 11:15)

It happened to Scholes last year as well. But Scottish law is vastly different, and Fletch should know that.
He still failed to comply with the law, and got caught, so what is the problem?

Acid, Chadderton (01/02/2010 at 23:08)

"But Scottish law is vastly different, and Fletch should know that. He still failed to comply with the law, and got caught, so what is the problem?
Supreme Being, Manchester.
1/02/2010 at 11:15"

You're probably right. I'd guess he knows that Cumbria is England though.

Norvaner, Vancouver (02/02/2010 at 23:14)

Pay the 1600 for god's sake..... the lawyer's costing you 2 grand...oh thats right 6 points...so screw the system eh !!

Black Flag (03/02/2010 at 09:55)

I hope the appeal is successful, because this law is a typical Neo Labour disgrace. It completely violates the right to silence and the issuing of penalty points for an offence, when the offence doesn't involve driving a car, is abusive.

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