Boxing champ in speeding ban

Audley Harrison was also fined £600

Olympic boxing champion Audley Harrison has been banned from the roads for three months after admitting speeding.

Mr Harrison, who apologised to magistrates in Stafford after arriving late because of traffic problems, had his licence revoked for reaching the 12 penalty points that mean an automatic driving ban.

The court heard that the 32-year-old was clocked by a speed camera on the A51 in Weston-on-Trent, Staffs, at 57 mph in a 40 mph zone.

He was also fined £600 and ordered to pay £35 costs.

Charity commitments

Karen Bosworth, who was prosecuting, said the boxer already had too many penalty points to be given a fixed fine.

Mr Harrison's lawyer, Michael Epstein, told the court his client had been given nine penalty points for two other speeding offences in January and June 2002, and for a previous parking infringement.

Mr Epstein argued the boxer should be banned for less than the normal minimum of six months for a number of reasons, including the fact he had held a clean licence for almost a decade after passing his test in 1991.

The lawyer added that his client, from Northwood, Middlesex, travelled extensively for professional and charity commitments in many parts of the UK.

Mr Harrison shot to prominence when he won the super heavyweight gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.