BBC presenter Dion Dublin was driving through tears after receiving devastating news of a family illness when he was caught speeding, he has revealed.
The former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker, who now hosts Homes Under The Hammer and is a regular Match of the Day pundit, was on his way to a BBC shoot when the incident happened.
He was behind the wheel of a hired Vauxhall car which was caught at 76mph on the M62 near Leeds.
The motorway was subject to a temporary 50mph limit at the time, which Dublin said he failed to notice in time, a court heard.
The TV star, 55, suggested he had been caught out because he was not driving his own Tesla – with cruise control and automatic speed limit warnings – at the time.
And when pleading guilty he also told Bradford magistrates court that he received news of a family member’s health on the same journey.
“I received a very very upsetting call”, he set out, in a letter to the magistrate.
“Having never been prosecuted for this offence before, I feel the upsetting news may have contributed to me (not INSTANTLY) realising the change of speed through shedding a few tears!
“I drive a lot with my job and am on the motorways a lot too.
“It’s just not something I can afford to do (speeding) but the above is the truth and my honest recollection of that journey!”
Dublin, who won four England caps during his footballing career before turning to broadcasting, placed blame on the car and highlighted how he needs to drive for his work.
“I was in a car that was foreign to me/hire car that DOESN’T have the same specification and safety alerts as my own car“, he wrote.
“The car that I own and drive everyday (Tesla Model Y) has ‘speed limit alerts’.
“I also use the cruise control setting that keeps me within the correct speeds AND speed limits AUTOMATICALLY when they change.
“I was travelling to an unfamiliar location for the BBC driving on a motorway that I had never been.“
A prosecution was brought by West Yorkshire Police over the incident, which happened just before 1pm on July 7 last year.
Dublin pleaded guilty via the Single Justice Procedure, and last week he was sentenced to an £897 fine and six penalty points on his licence.
He must also pay £90 in costs and a £359 victim surcharge.
Dublin’s role on Homes Under The Hammer takes him around the country for filming at properties featuring on the show. He is also a regular pundit at televised football matches.
