Speeding driver with two wives avoids ban

Published on Friday 4 April 2008 22:48

A SPEEDING driver has avoided a ban after his lawyer argued that he needed his licence to visit both his wives.

Mohammed Anwar, 51, was caught driving at more than twice the speed limit on his way home from work in Falkirk.

The restaurant owner, who has two wives under Islamic law, was clocked driving at 64mph in a 30mph zone on the Cumbernauld Road, Muirhead, Glasgow, on 21 August, 2007.

Yesterday at Airdrie Sheriff Court, Anwar, of Clouston Street, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to speeding, but his lawyer, Paul Nicolson, said: "He realises his licence is at risk, but this is an unusual case and he is very anxious to keep his driving licence as he has two wives.

"Under his religion he is allowed a maximum of four," said Mr Nicolson.

"He has one wife in Motherwell and another in Glasgow and sleeps with one one night and stays with the other the next.

"Without his driving licence he would be unable to be able to do this on a regular basis. He is also a restaurant owner and has a restaurant in Falkirk, which he has had for the past 30 years."

Sheriff John C Morris, QC, allowed Anwar to keep his licence, fining him 200 and imposing six penalty points on his driving licence.

Though bigamy is illegal under British law, Islamic law permits it. Attempts have been made to challenge this under the Human Rights Act of 1998.

Some Muslim men have claimed that not to recognise this tenet of their faith is to violate the right to religious freedom.