Rio Ferdinand has been banned from driving for six months today after he was clocked speeding at 85mph in his Mercedes last year.
His ban comes despite his claim in court that the cancer deaths of his wife Rebecca in 2015 and mother Janice St Fort in 2017 meant his children needed him to drive them personally.
The 41 year-old former footballer broke the 70mph speed limit on the A27 dual carriageway at the Hangleton interchange in Hove, East Sussex on July 22, last year.
The offence, which carried three penalty points, was added to the nine Ferdinand already has and triggered the automatic disqualification.
He accrued nine points in three offences in 2017, 2018 and two months before his latest ticket in May 2019.
Ferdinand was previously banned from driving for six months in 2012 after he was caught speeding three times on the same stretch of road in five-week period.
He was also convicted of speeding in 2005, 2003 and 2002 and drink-driving in 1997. Ferdinand agreed his last two speeding convictions followed a Speed Awareness Course for yet another similar offence.
The father-of-three, whose second wife Kate is expecting his fourth child, was driving a brand-new grey two-litre diesel Mercedes and admitted the offence under the new secret Single Justice Procedure Act.
Ferdinand told the court today he could not allow his children to travel with a chauffeur and claimed that the trauma of losing their mother and grandmother, as well as the coronavirus crisis, meant he needed his driving licence.
Rio Ferdinand (pictured at Crawley Magistrates Court) has been banned from driving for six months today after he was clocked speeding at 85mph in his Mercedes last year
He argued at Crawley Magistrates Court a ban would amount to ‘exceptional hardship’ because of needing to drive his three children to school, plus other activities.
Ferdinand, of Orpington, south east London, told the court that coronavirus meant he was unwilling for his children to travel to school by bus.
A prosecutor then asked whether he would be willing to employ a chauffeur to transport his children.
He told the court that he was not willing to do this amid the coronavirus outbreak, adding that his ‘profile’ meant he would not even consider it in non-pandemic times.
The BT Sport television pundit attended court today dressed in black and wearing a face mask.
In his attempt to mitigate, the former Manchester United defender also claimed that his children are still facing trauma following the death of their mother and grandmother in close succession.
Prosecution lawyer Sharon Allen quizzed Ferdinand directly, asking: ‘Does your wife drive?’
Ferdinand responded: ‘Yes, but it is very difficult with three children. The times are very different when they have to be there, one will be going one hour before the other.
He added: ‘Normally we would have a school bus, but now that is difficult because of COVID.’
Ms Allen added: ‘So your children don’t come into contact with anybody?’
Ferdinand replied: ‘Not in a car.’
The lawyer then asked the millionaire footballer whether he would consider paying for a chauffeur or a taxi.
Ferdinand said: ‘I wouldn’t let my kids get into a taxi. In normal situations I wouldn’t allow it because my profile doesn’t allow it.’
His lawyer, Udo Onwere, himself a former professional player, said: ‘I do understand the points that have been raised by the prosecutor, that it is possible to have other arrangements.
‘But this is part of their reluctance to travel with anyone else because of the double trauma they have suffered over the last few years.’
Ferdinand argued at Crawley Magistrates Court a ban would amount to ‘exceptional hardship’ because of needing to drive his three children to school, plus other activities
His argument was rejected by magistrate Geoffrey Allen, who told him: ‘Unfortunately COVID has affected everybody in the world the same way.’ Ferdinand was also fined £670, with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £67 victim surcharge
He added: ‘The last three to four years have been an extremely difficult period in my client’s life. There have been family bereavements meaning my client has become a single parent for his children. He has entered into a new relationship with his wife who is currently pregnant.’
The lawyer then told how the death of Ferdinand’s mother had meant the former footballer’s children had become more reliant on him for transport.
He added: ‘Rio lost his mother two years ago, she was the primary carer for his children. He has three children travelling to events and school. He is very protective over his children, who as you can understand will have a massive trauma.
‘The effect of a ban would be hugely detrimental to the family set up due to the fact that the family will rely on Mr Ferdinand to take them to and from events.’
The player-turned-lawyer then cited transport issues brought on by COVID.
Ferdinand’s ban comes despite his claim in court that the cancer deaths of his wife Rebecca in 2015 and mother Janice St Fort in 2017 meant his children needed him to drive them personally
He claimed it was ‘very difficult’ for his current wife Kate, who is pregnant, to drive with three children
He said: ‘Covid makes it difficult for someone else to transport them and to use public transport.
‘Rio does understand that speeding should not be looked on kindly, which is why he entered a prompt guilty plea. He asks the court to offer some leniency because of his situation.
He added: ‘Being able to drive them around has seen a massive improvement in his eldest son who is beginning to come out of the trauma.’
The lawyer closed by asking the magistrate for leniency in his decision.
But Magistrate Geoffrey Allen returned around 10 minutes later and banned Ferdinand for six months.
He said: ‘We have listened carefully about your hardship.
‘You told us that your wife drives and Covid has affected the way you deal with your children, but Covid has affected everyone in the whole world in the same way.
‘This does not meet the hardship, therefore you will be disqualified from today until February 17, 2021. You must surrender your license to the DVLA and before that date you must reapply for that license.’
Ferdinand was also fined £670, with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £67 victim surcharge.