Let’s steady on a little, chaps and take a step back.
Although not short of a bob or two Mr Toure could have saved himself the expense of a solicitor and he certainly need not have troubled Their Worships with his ridiculous “Miles vs kilometres” nonsense. You would be extremely hard pushed to find a driver with a clean licence, pleading guilty to driving at 101mph, receiving a ban. Sentencing guidelines for speeds between 101mph and 110mph suggest either 6 penalty points or a ban of between 7 and 56 days. This is for a first time offender pleading not guilty.
Mr Toure has a clean licence and pleaded guilty. He was at the very lowest end of the speed range covered by the guideline and there were no aggravating features of the offence (with being a well paid footballer not among those eligible for consideration). He could have pleaded guilty by post. The Bench may have considered disqualification and asked him to attend to explain the effect that would have on him (Magistrates do not disqualify a driver in his absence without warning him of the possibility and giving him the opportunity to attend). But there is almost a 100% likelihood that the Magistrates – even if they were among those “off their trollies” - would have done precisely what this lot did and imposed six points. A case of the Telegraphy egging the pudding of their headline which should really have read “Famous Footballer employs expensive lawyer to ensure he is sentenced entirely in accordance with Magistrates’ Sentencing guidelines”.