David Beckham will have to start Ubering around England. The 44-year-old retired soccer pro has been banned from driving for six months in England after he was caught using a cell phone while behind the wheel last November, the BBC reports.
Beckham, a dad of four, pleaded guilty to using a mobile device while driving his Bentley in central London last year. That driving infraction added six points to Beckham’s license on top of a previous six points he received for speeding.
David Beckham was reportedly photographed looking down at his lap and “operating a handheld device at knee level” while traffic was moving slowly as he drove along Great Portland Street in the West End late last year. During Beckham’s May 9 court date at the Bromley Magistrates’ Court in London, District Judge Catherine Moore said the slow pace of the traffic was “no excuse” under the law. It’s against the law in the U.K. to hold a phone while driving.
Beckham’s defense said the former soccer superstar had no recollection of this particular incident and that the loss of his license would impact the lives of his children because he would be unable to drive them to school each day.
David Beckham handed six-month driving ban after using phone at the wheel https://t.co/jrbE3TOrNp pic.twitter.com/0vHhAAPoaf
— ITV News (@itvnews) May 9, 2019
According to The Hollywood Reporter , in addition to the loss of his license, David Beckham was fined $976.51, and ordered to pay $130.20 in prosecution costs and a $97.65 surcharge fee within seven days of the ruling.
Last year, David Beckham was accused of driving a borrowed Bentley Continental 50 mph in a 40 mph zone in west London, but he was cleared of the speeding charge over a technicality. According to The Telegraph , Beckham did not contest the fact that he was driving over the speed limit, but his lawyer argued that a ticket was issued to “the registered keeper of the vehicle” too late and the violation was scrapped.
Incidentally, David Beckham was not present in court to contest the speeding charge last year. But as proceedings took place, he reportedly posted a photo of himself in a car on his Instagram account with the caption “London Traffic” and an “angry” emoji. Beckham was wearing sunglasses and a grey beanie as he impatiently sat in traffic while taking the selfie. It is unclear if Beckham was the driver of the vehicle that he took the selfie in.
David Beckham married former Spice Girl Victoria Adams in 1999. The retired English athlete is father to Brooklyn, 20, Romeo, 16, Cruz, 14 and Harper, 7.
