High Court criticises Mr Loophole for 'sharp practice' in speeding case

The man known as Mr Loophole – one of the country's highest-profile lawyers – has been condemned for "sharp practice" by the High Court.

Sir John Thomas, the president of the Queen's Bench Division, said Nick Freeman had failed to put "all his cards on the table" in a speeding case and that there had been sharp practice of a kind the High Court "wants to see stamped out". Zafar Ali, of Sudbury Hill, Wembley, north-west London, pleaded guilty in May last year to driving a Porsche at more than 117mph in a 70mph zone.

Mr Freeman became involved when Mr Ali was erroneously summoned back to court for a second time regarding the same incident. Mr Ali was acquitted on this occasion and Mr Freeman immediately applied to the court to set aside the earlier conviction.

The case came to the High Court because the magistrates' court refused the set-aside application.

Sir John said Mr Freeman should have told the second trial at the outset about Mr Ali's earlier conviction and his intention to have it set aside. Mr Justice Globe agreed and said Mr Ali's "utterly unarguable" application must be dismissed.