Jim Davidson's car

Star of stage and screen says he didn’t know who was behind the wheel after charity golf event

Comic Jim Davidson has been slapped with a six month driving ban after a luxury sports car in his name was caught by a speed camera in Maidstone.

The star, who represented himself at Maidstone Magistrates Court, failed to name the driver of the lease car which it was clocked doing 39mph in a 30mph zone on Loose Road.

The convertible Aston Martin DB9 Volante was captured on September 6 last year.

Andrew Perry, prosecuting, said Kent Police issued a notice to the vehicle lease company which nominated Davidson as the likely driver at the time of the offence.

But when a notice was sent to Davidson asking for him to identify the driver, he replied suggesting that the police did not care who was really driving and asked: “I’m still making enquiries as to who was actually driving, but is it OK if I nominate someone I don’t like?”

Davidson received several letters from the police giving him an opportunity to name the driver of the vehicle, but he claimed that he did not know and failed to offer any possibilities, the court was told. He was eventually summoned to court.

Davidson told the court he did not know who was driving. He claimed that he had been fearful of giving the wrong information, so he did not provide any possible names to the police. He accepted that he was probably in the two-seater vehicle when the camera was activated, but he was unsure if it was his bodyguard or himself behind the wheel.

He said his plans often changed, but he may have been on his way back from a golf event involving fellow-comedian Bobby Davro when the offence occurred.

The 57-year-old, of Houghton Road, Stockbridge, Hampshire was found guilty of failing to provide information about the identity of the driver.

Davidson urged the court not to impose a driving ban, claiming that his charitable work would be affected. He said a ban would also impact on his show at the Rhyl Pavilion, in North Wales, this Wednesday.

Despite his claims he was awarded six penalty points on his driving licence, which along with six existing points, amounted to a ban. But magistrates agreed to suspend the penalty after Davidson announced that he would appeal against his conviction and sentence. He was also ordered to pay the maximum fine of £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £750.