LONDON, January 5 – England footballer Ashley Cole was found guilty of speeding Monday despite telling police he was trying to escape press photographers in his Lamborghini car.
Chelsea defender Cole could be banned from driving after being caught driving at 104 miles (167 kilometres) per hour in a 50 mph zone in southwest London in November 2008, Kingston Magistrates’ Court heard.
Cole pointed out a man with a camera further down the road to the police officer who stopped him.
Prosecutor Richard Lomax said: "The defendant was stopped and spoken to and the words he said at the time, when it became plain that somebody was pointing a speed camera at him, were: ‘Can’t you do anything about those idiots who keep chasing me?’"
Cole, who was not in court for the hearing, also told police he thought he was travelling at 80 mph and Lomax said this amounted to an admission of guilt.
The chairwoman of magistrates Judith Jewell said the court had found him guilty.
"Our reasons are that we feel that the evidence of the police officer was credible and we feel entitled to believe that the equipment was operating properly," she said.
Cole is due to be sentenced on January 29 and could be banned from driving.
The 29-year-old former Arsenal left-back, who is married to British singer Cheryl Cole, has 77 England caps.