Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has been banned from driving for six months and ordered to pay £1,472 in fines, costs, and court fees after being convicted of two driving offences.
Speeding incidents in West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester
The 51-year-old was caught speeding in a Range Rover in March on a late-night drive through Cleckheaton in West Yorkshire. West Yorkshire Police prosecuted the case after his car was clocked at 37mph on a 30mph residential road.
He was also prosecuted by Greater Manchester Police after a Mercedes registered in his name was caught driving at 49mph in a 30mph zone in November last year. Scholes then faced a charge for failing to respond to two police letters asking him to confirm he had been the speeding driver.
Court hearings and sentencing
The two criminal cases culminated in hearings on two days last week. At Bradford Magistrates' Court on August 12, Scholes was handed a six-month driving ban for the speeding offence, along with a £220 fine, £120 costs, and an £88 victim surcharge.
The following day at Manchester Magistrates' Court, he was sentenced to a £660 fine, with six penalty points added to his licence, £120 costs, and a £264 victim surcharge.
No pleas entered and career background
A court official said Scholes, who was prosecuted in private hearings under the Single Justice Procedure, did not enter pleas to either charge and was convicted in his absence. Court documents show his Range Rover was caught speeding just after 11.30pm on March 3 on the A649 Halifax Road near Cleckheaton.
Police said Scholes replied to a notice of intended prosecution, confirming he had been the driver. However, he could not be offered a speed awareness course because he is a “totter” – meaning he already had penalty points on his licence and faced an automatic ban.
In the second case, his Mercedes broke the limit on the A670 Mossley Road near Ashton-under-Lyne at 11.10am on November 14. Police said two letters were sent to his home and no reply was received. At court, the force dropped the speeding allegation but continued prosecuting him for failing to reply.
Scholes played 499 times for Manchester United and won 66 England caps, with a career that included 11 Premier League titles, three FA Cup wins, and two Champions League triumphs.
