The BBC‘s Jonathan Pearce was spared a driving ban because he could be sacked if he was not able to get to football matches.
The Match of the Day commentator told Lavender Hill magistrates court that he would face ‘exceptional hardship’ without his license – and even lose his home.
Mr Pearce was caught speeding 25mph for a short distance in his Ford Mondeo in a 20mph zone outside Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium last April.
This would have made him automatically disqualified since he already had penalty points on his driving license.
But the Radio Five Live figure said he is in ‘dire need of my car’ and a disqualification ‘could seriously jeopardise my employment’.
The court agreed, deciding this could likely impact his career and ‘accepted the unusual nature of your work schedule’.
‘We’ve looked at this in one particular way, that is, the impact on other people rather than just the impact on you,’ they added.
‘There’s the potential of you losing your job and how that would cause you to lose your home.’
The Match of the Day commentator Jonathan Pearce said he is in ‘dire need of my car’ and a disqualification ‘could seriously jeopardise my employment’
Mr Pearce was caught speeding 25mph a short distance in a 20mph zone outside Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium last April
They also noted that Mr Pearce had caring responsibilities for a sick family member and he would ‘need to be able to get to her at the drop of a hat and train travel is impractical’.
Instead, Mr Pearce, who has covered five World Cups, was fined £307 with £100 costs, as well as three penalty points for his license.
When he was charged by the Metropolitan Police, Mr Pearce pleaded guilty in writing but asked for a hearing to contest the automatic ban.
He said he ‘realised how stupid it was of me to break the 20mph limit’ and ‘for my work as a TV/radio football commentator, I need to travel all over the country’.
