PREMIER League star Jesse Lingard is set to stand trial after he allegedly gave a fake name and address to cops when he was caught speeding.
Lingard, 27, has been charged with failing to provide information about who was driving his Range Rover.
The Nottingham Forest ace allegedly gave cops the name of a man who “doesn’t exist” along with an address which is “believed to be a car park”, a court heard.
His case was heard for the first time at Stockport Magistrates Court yesterday – however, the former England international was not present.
His lawyer entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf.
The court heard the Range Rover Sport was picked up by a camera allegedly exceeding the speed limit on the A56 in Trafford in August last year – but that the driver was never stopped or spoken to.
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Mike Arden, prosecuting for Greater Manchester Police, said the force “wrote to Mr Lingard at his then home address in Altrincham” with a notice of intended prosecution and a notice requesting the details of who was driving.
He said the notice “made it clear that the individual it was addressed to was to respond” and that “they are not to pass it on to anyone”.
Around two weeks after Mr Lingard was written to, a nomination was made online “by someone appearing to be Mr Lingard”, Mr Arden said.
It claimed the person driving was a George Bolt who lived at an address on Pretoria Road in Oldham, he continued.
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Mr Bolt was written to and no response was received, the court heard.
Mr Arden said: “That’s not a surprise because he doesn’t exist. We’re quite certain about that.”
He said the force’s central ticket office had identified the name as “linked to a so-called NIP farm.”
Mr Arden added checks were carried out and GMP were “satisfied George Bolt doesn’t exist at that address.”
He said: “We’re not even sure the address exists, we think it is a car park.
“Therefore the nomination of Mr Bolt was inaccurate and misleading and prevents police getting to the bottom of who was driving the Range Rover.”
Frank Rogers, representing Mr Lingard said: “Mr Lingard will say he never saw the notice of intended prosecution and never had any dealings with it.
“It was dealt with by a third party who processed it in the way that has been alleged, without his knowledge, without his authority and certainly without his approval.
“The first he knew about it was the court papers around charging him (for this offence).”
“He simply never received it. It’s essentially a simple trial issue” he added. The trial has been listed for July 28.
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The charge carries a maximum penalty of six points on your driving licence and a fine of up to £1,000.
Mr Lingard’s case was one of around 20 heard at the courthouse on Friday following an investigation into the so-called ‘NIP farms.’
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
