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Jermain Defoe's lawyer attacks speed camera systems
29.05.09
A lawyer representing Premier League footballer Jermain Defoe today launched a "technical assault" on systems put in place to catch speeding motorists, a court heard.
The Tottenham Hotspur striker, 26, of Cuffley, Herts, is on trial at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court, in Essex, accused of two counts of speeding and two counts of failing to declare the vehicle's driver at the time of the alleged offences.
The court heard that Defoe allegedly drove his 2008-registered Land Rover at a speed of 81mph along the M11 in Chigwell, Essex, at about 9pm on June 6 last year when temporary speed restrictions of 50mph were in place.
He is also accused of travelling at 65mph just after midnight on April 16 last year.
Prosecutors allege that he failed to inform the authorities who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offences.
The court heard that notices of the intended prosecution were posted to Defoe at his home address and also to a business address in Leeds but were not answered.
Defoe is being represented by Dean George, a lawyer from a firm of solicitors run by Nick Freeman, who is known as "Mr Loophole" for his success in clearing a string of celebrity clients from alleged motoring offences.
Mr George questioned the procedures used to measure distances between average speed cameras, which prosecutors say caught Defoe speeding in April and June.
He also asked Ronald Gomm, of the Essex Police Safer Roads Bureau, about systems used to inform motorists when the cameras were activated by vehicles registered to them.
But Mr George refused to tell the court the basis upon which Defoe, who was not in court today, was denying the allegations.
Deputy District Judge Mark Jabbitt said: "What is being dealt with here is no more, no less, than a technical assault on the systems in place."
He added: "I will bear in mind that no substantive defence has been raised as an issue."
