Second bid to convict Monty of speeding is thrown out

PROSECUTORS yesterday failed in a bid to convict golfer Colin Montgomerie of speeding for the second time.

They appealed against a decision last month which cleared the Ryder Cup captain, affectionately known as Monty, because the civilian speed-gun officer was too "trigger happy".

The judge decided then that Mr Montgomerie's alleged 37mph reading in a 30mph zone was invalid because Christopher Griffin zapped "everything that moved in front of him," including joggers and parked cars.

Yesterday the Crown Prosecution Service's appeal was rejected by a judge in chambers.

Mr Montgomerie's solicitor Nick Freeman said: "The judge weighed the evidence carefully at the time, so we had no doubt that this appeal would fail. Mr Montgomerie is now looking forward to winning the Ryder Cup."

Mr Montgomerie, 46, was clocked driving his BMW at 37mph in a 30mph zone on the A69 in Corby Hill, near Carlisle, in November 2008. He was given three penalty points and banned from driving for six months as his licence already had nine points. He was also fined 850, with costs of 4,000.

That conviction was overturned last month when Judge Peter Hughes QC ruled the reading was invalid.

Following the case, the Scottish golfer's lawyer Nick Freeman - dubbed Mr Loophole for clearing celebrity clients on driving charges - said Mr Montgomerie was "relieved" by the decision.

He said: "It transpired that the officer was indiscriminately measuring the speed of hundreds of vehicles, as opposed to the ones he thought may have been speeding."