Sprinter Linford Christie loses his bid to cut driving ban
OLYMPIC legend Linford Christie lost out yesterday on a bid to lift a 15-month driving ban following an horrific car crash.
The 100 metres gold medallist was left £1,000 out of pocket after two appeal court judges rejected his challenge.
Christie, 51, crashed into a taxi carrying a bride and groom to their wedding reception as he drove the wrong way down a main road.
Last July, he was fined £5,000 and disqualified after being found guilty of careless driving at a trial at Aylesbury crown court, in Bucks.
The retired athlete, who sprinted to glory at the 1992 Barcelona Games, was cleared of dangerous driving.
Yesterday Mr Justice Treacy and Mr Justice Blair said his driving was “bordering on the dangerous”, but reduced his maximum £5,000 fine down to £3,000.
They turned down christie’s bid for his £3,000 legal costs to come out of central funds and be paid by the taxpayer. it meant the sprinter’s privately funded appeal ended up with him £1,000 worse off.
Mr Justice Treacy and Mr Justice Blair said his driving was “bordering on the dangerous”, but reduced his maximum £5,000 fine down to £3,000
Christie, who has recently moved to a new home in Buckinghamshire, wanted his driving ban eased to make it easier to train his stable of 12 Olympic hopefuls.
Christie was not injured in the crash last may but had to climb from the window of his wrecked Audi with personalised number plate 100 RUN.
The taxi driver Naeem Akhtar, 55, from Amersham, suffered multiple fractures as did two of his passengers, which included newlyweds peter and Clare Ashton and her uncle Michael Burt.
