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Golfers driving ban stands after expert evidence stands

Scottish golfer Colin Montgomerie has failed in a bid to overturn a driving ban.

Celebrity Lawyer Nick Freeman tried to discredit an expert witness in an attempt to escape a driving ban. The Lawyer known as Mr Loophole after getting many celebrity clients off the hook had previously defended Montgomerie on two previous occasions.

Professional Golfer Montgomerie, was caught by police in November 2008 doing 37mph in a 30mph zone as he drove his BMW in a village near Carlisle. The multi-millionaire Ryder Cup captain already had nine points on his licence and denied the offense. He was found guilty and the three penalty points resulted in a six-month ban, a £850 fine and £4000 costs.

At the appeal hearing at Penrith Magistrates' Court on Friday, Mr Freeman seized on the background of expert witness Steven Callaghan. Mr Callaghan gave expert evidence on the reliability of the speed gun used to record the offense. Mr Freeman seized on the fact that Mr Callaghan was a former member of the Engineering Council, not a current member as stated, having left four years previous. On the basis of this, the entire expert testimony was challenged.

District judge Gerald Chalk dismissed Freeman's argument and upheld the original court judgment.

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