David Beckham arrives at Bromley Magistrates Court for a hearing. (Source: AP)Former England football player and captain David Beckham has been given a driving ban for using his phone at the wheel. He has also been fined £750 for admitting the charge levied on him in November.
Beckham arrived at Bromley Magistrates Court on Thursday (May 9) wearing a grey suit and tie. He was given six points on his driving licence and banned.
The sentencing was to be handed down after he was caught on his mobile while driving his Bentley in central London last November. The father-of-four pleaded guilty to the charge by post and was set to be given the punishment at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court last month.
But the hearing was pushed forward after Beckham, who was then in the US, confirmed he would attend his sentencing in person to accept responsibility for the incident.
Beckham’s case was previously set to be resolved via a hearing behind closed doors where one magistrate would deliver the sentencing – points on the license or fine.
Court officials said a month back it was later changed to a ‘disqualification hearing’, but admitted they did not have his driving record yet and were unaware how many points were on his licence.
Typically, driving while using a mobile phone can carry a disqualification penalty as well as a maximum fine of £1,000. The offence usually results in six points on a licence.
According to the charge, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star was spotted driving his Bentley while using his phone in Great Portland Street on November 21.
In the past, Beckham had avoided a speeding prosecution for driving a loaned Bentley at 59mph in a 40mph zone in west London two months earlier. He was however able to get out of that charge on technicality.
