Premier defender faces driving ban for speeding

Premier League footballer Pascal Chimbonda is facing a possible driving ban today when he is sentenced for speeding in his Porsche.

Blackburn Rovers defender Chimbonda, 30, of Loughton, Essex, was caught driving his Porsche Cayenne at 91mph on the A19, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, in January this year.

The French international, who did not appear for his trial at Northallerton Magistrates' Court last month, already has nine penalty points on his licence from previous offences.

He was given three points in September 2007 for failing to provide information as to the keeper of the vehicle and another six points in July 2008 for having no insurance.

At the last hearing, magistrates indicated they would hand the full-back a further four points at his sentencing.

The bench heard how Chimbonda was recorded driving at 91mph on the southbound carriageway of the A19 by a traffic officer using a laser speed device.

Traffic Constable Matt Knowles, of North Yorkshire Police, followed the vehicle for around a mile after taking the reading before stopping it.

Robert McMaster, defending Chimbonda, claimed the officer had breached police guidelines by failing to personally measure the distance used to check his device that day and for not turning off his in-car police radio while using the speed gun.

But magistrates found that, while the use of the radio was a breach of Association of Chief Police Officers guidelines, there was no other evidence to suggest the device was not reliable.

They also found that the distance used to test the equipment was recorded on a certificate which had been checked by TC Knowles at the beginning of his shift.

Chimbonda joined Blackburn Rovers from Spurs last month.