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.
Father-of-three Ferdinand, 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.
The offence, which carried three penalty points, was added to the nine he already has and triggered the automatic disqualification.
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.
The pandemic meant a private driver or taxis were out of the question, claimed Ferdinand.
Asked if he had the means to hire a chauffeur for his children, he answered: ‘Yes, but I have explained my reluctance to do that.
‘Covid is an issue. I wouldn’t let my kids get in a taxi. I wouldn’t allow it.
‘Even in a normal situation I wouldn’t allow it with my profile.’
Defending, Udo Onwere said: “Rio lost his mother two years ago. She was the primary career for the children because he also lost his wife.
‘He has to travel with his kids. He is very protective towards his children who have had a massive trauma twice in their lives.
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
‘The really rely on him to take them to and from events.
‘This has been exacerbated with he situation with Covid.
‘It has been difficult to arrange other people and them and they are too young to use public transport themselves.
‘He does understand speeding should not be looked on kindly which is why we entered the swift guilty plea.
‘This is a situation Rio battles with on a daily basis. Being able to drive them around is a huge part of that.”
However, the defence 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 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’s last three speeding offences were on March 16, 2017; May 4, 2018 and April 15, last year.
He received three penalty points on his licence each time.
He told the court it was vital he be allowed to continue driving his three children two school and various events, claiming ‘exceptional hardship’ if he was disqualified.
Ruling out his wife taking over driving duties Ferdinand said: ‘It’s very difficult with three children, with different activities and different times at school.
‘One will be going back to school an hour before the other. Usually we would have a school bus, but that’s impossible with COVID.’
He also ruled out taxis and a private tested chauffeur.
‘I wouldn’t let my children get in a taxi. COVID is an issue.
‘Because of my profile I wouldn’t put my kids in a taxi. I would not allow them to go with a driver.’
Conceding he could afford to hire a chauffeur, who would be COVID-tested, Ferdinand told the court: ‘That’s not concrete. These are unprecedented times, they don’t go into a car with a driver at all.’
Ferdinand agreed his last two speeding convictions followed a Speed Awareness Course for yet another similar offence.