Taxi for Sam. Speeding ban for Mr Hammam

Last updated : 17 April 2004 By Michael Morris
Cardiff City chairman Sam Hammam has been banned from driving after being caught speeding at 93 mph on the M4.

The millionaire football boss admitted speeding and was banned for having more than 12 points on his licence.

Pontypridd magistrates heard Hammam, 56, was on a visit to a friend whose wife had cancer, when he was spotted in his club Audi Quattro.

Hammam from St John's Wood in London, was banned for six months, fined £200 and ordered to pay £50 costs.

The court heard that Hammam had two previous speeding convictions.

In 2001 he was caught doing 96 mph on a motorway and in June last year he was given three points for breaking a 30mph limit.

Mark Haslam, defending, said Hammam did not have a UK licence but was driving on an international permit because he is a Lebanese citizen.

Partly because of the international licence, no record of the penalty points were ever communicated to Hammam.

'Embarrassing'

Mr Haslam said: "It was something of a shock to him to discover there were these points on his licence."

He asked for Hammam to receive a lesser ban than the standard six months, adding: "He is a very experienced driver who in 40 years has never had an accident.

"He travels extensively because of his various business interests. He reckons that in this country and in others he travels up to 60,000 miles a year."

His reason for speeding was that he was responding to a call from a friend whose wife had just been diagnosed with cancer.

"That does not excuse the speed he was travelling which Hammam accepts was sufficiently in excess of the limit to deserve disqualification," said Mr Haslam.

District Judge Jill Watkins told him: "You were doing a speed 23 miles an hour in excess of the limit. If ever there was a case for totting up the points this is it."

Outside court Hammam said he would now have to hire a driver.

He said: "I hate having a driver. I find it embarrassing as if I'm saying: 'look at me. I've made it big time.' "I feel hard done by but that's what I have to do."