Ireland star convicted of driving offence

Republic of Ireland star Aiden McGeady was today convicted of driving at nearly twice the speed limit.

Republic of Ireland star Aiden McGeady was today convicted of driving at nearly twice the speed limit.

The Celtic winger was caught driving his Audi Q7 4x4 at 54mph in a 30mph area in February last year.

McGeady, 24, was fined £400 (€453.14) and had four points put on his licence at the Justice of the Peace Court in Glasgow.

He had denied speeding along Carmunnock Road in Glasgow on February 15, 2009 but was found guilty by Justice of the Peace Eunice Paton after a four-day trial.

The speeding footballer was caught by Inspector Kenneth Welsh and his colleague PC Alexander Smith, of Strathclyde Police's road policing unit, who noticed the speeding car at 3.30pm as they monitored traffic on the side of the road.

They pulled the car over and the driver identified himself as Aiden McGeady.

They had pointed a handheld Unipar SL700 machine at the car, which gave the footballer's speed as 54mph.

McGeady's lawyer, Terry Gallanagh, argued that the police had not corroborated McGeady's identity, or proved that the alleged offence happened on a restricted road.

He also questioned the procedures used to assess whether the Unipar SL700 was fit for use and whether the machine had been calibrated, a check carried out annually by the manufacturer and told the Court it was "inappropriate and unsafe" to proceed.

But after JP Eunice Paton considered the evidence, the footballer was convicted.

The court heard how McGeady already had seven live points on his licence and had one previous conviction for a road traffic offence from 2006.

The JP told McGeady, who was dressed smartly in a grey suit and dark tie, that she found him guilty.

McGeady only replied that he was "obliged" to the Court.

The footballer made no comment as he left but Gallanagh said his client would appeal against his conviction.

He told reporters: "We are going to lodge an appeal which will relate to matters of law and will also relate to the conduct of the trial."

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