Grant Holt found guilty in absence over motoring offence
Friday 6th August 2010, 12:21PM BST.
Former Shrewsbury Town striker Grant Holt was today found guilty of a motoring offence. But the footballer failed to appear at magistrates court.
He failed to appear because a timetable clash meant he risked missing out on the big kick-off for his new side Norwich City, who begin their league campaign tonight.
Holt, 29, was due to appear at Market Drayton Magistrates Court for trial today for failing to give information about the identity of the driver of a car allegedly caught speeding near Whitchurch last year.
Holt, of Carlisle, denied the charge and the case was heard in his absence.
His legal team, who described him as “an honest young man”, argued that he had attempted to make contact with the authorities over the matter but had gone through the wrong channels — contacting the court and the DVLA instead of the central ticket office, which prosecuted him.
Magistrates heard safer roads partnership officials observed a Peugeot 307, which was registered to Holt, travelling at 69mph in a 60mph zone on the A41 Whitchurch bypass just before 11am on April 27 last year.
Mr Phil Mason, prosecuting, said two notices were sent to Holt asking him to identify the driver, but he failed to respond within the time limit. Mr Ian Durant, for Holt, said his client was in the middle of signing for his new club when the offence was committed.
“The first game of the season was moved from tomorrow to today because of TV rights,” he said. “He has always admitted he was the driver of the car and was going at excess speed.
Magistrates found the case proved but Holt was not sentenced because his legal team made an application for a special reasons hearing on a date to be fixed.
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