Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths convicted of speeding in Dundee

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has been convicted of a speeding offence hours before he was due on the park for the Hoops' Europa League tie with Rosenborg.
Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths. Picture: SNS GroupCeltic striker Leigh Griffiths. Picture: SNS Group
Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths. Picture: SNS Group

The Parkhead star was found guilty today following a three-day trial.

Griffiths was fined £200 and given three penalty points after his denials were rejected at Dundee Justice of the Peace Court.

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Asked outside court if it was three points he would rather not have had, Griffiths declined to answer.

Defence lawyer Robert Sheridan had earlier claimed the evidence Griffiths was in fact the driver was inadmissible despite the star signing a form confirming he was behind the wheel.

Mr Sheridan also claimed there was not enough signage on the central reservation of the dual carriageway to inform him that he was in a 50mph limit as he hit 62mph and that Griffiths had been caught “unfairly”.

The brief also attempted to have the case thrown out on the basis of there being no case to answer because the speed gun used to catch Griffiths had been manufactured in the USA and not the UK.

Fiscal depute Alan Kempton apologised to the court for the amount of detailed evidence that had to be led in court because Griffiths’ legal team had challenged a legal notice that would have agreed the basic facts of the case.

A court insider said: “This case lasted three full days – not to mention several procedural hearings earlier – which is longer than most sheriff and jury trials.

“The cost to the public purse of running the trial will have been many multiples of the fine.

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“And his [Griffiths’] legal bill will be enormous in comparison to the penalty.”

The court was told Griffiths was spotted travelling at 62mph in the 50mph zone on the northern outskirts of Dundee on 3 June last year - just days before his famous double against England at Hampden in a World Cup qualifier.

Police safety camera officer Scott Aitken about the calibration of the speed gun equipment used in the camera van he was operating.

Mr Aitken said he spotted the Merc speeding past other traffic on the west bound Kingsway road around 2:21pm - just days before Griffiths’ famous free-kick double against England at Hampden.

Asked today by fiscal depute Alan Kempton if he was operating the camera equipment properly, Mr Aitken replied: “Yes.”

Mr Kempton asked: “As far as you were concerned it was calibrated properly?”

Mr Aitken: “Yes.”

He added: “It came round the corner and caught up with the vehicle in front of it quite quickly.

“It was quite obvious he was going above the speed limit.”

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Griffiths, 28, of East Lothian, denied the charge of speeding on Kingsway in Dundee, near the Myrekirk roundabout, but JP Derek Cochrane found him guilty.

The court heard Griffiths already has three points live on his licence from an earlier motoring offence.