Speeding Arsenal star claims he confused kilometres with miles
MESUT OZIL, the Arsenal midfielder, has claimed that he mixed up kilometres and miles when he was caught by police driving at 97mph on the motorway, a court heard.
The German World Cup winner was at the wheel of a £160,000 Mercedes G-class on his way home from training when he says his “concentration must have momentarily lapsed” as he sped along the M1.
The 32-year- old, who has lived in London for seven years since joining Arsenal, could face a driving ban, but has argued that during ring the current climate he would uld be “very much against travelling ing on public transport” with his baby aby daughter and asked to keep his s licence.
Ozil, who earns
£ 3 50,000- a- week, k, was pulled over at 11.50am 0am on July 2 by Pc Paul Scott, tt, who c locked the“very distincistinct ive”modified4x 4 on the southbound carriageway. eway.
Admitting to speeding, eding, Mr Ozil wrote to magistrates istrates in Bromley, saying: “When “When attempting to rationalise alise my actions, I be believe it was the combination of the empty road, with n no other vehicles to gauge my vehicles speed agai against, and the misappre prehension that I was trav travelling kmph rather than mph.
“Due Du to the Covid-19 restrict restrictions, the motorway was effe effectively empty.
“The only explanation that I c can give is that due to the absence of other vehicles on the road, my concentration must have momentarily lapsed. The vehicle I was driving has very low engine noise and it is automatic transmission.
“I am a German national and I am obviously used to driving vehicles that would display speed in kilometres as compared to miles per hour.”
According to the Evening Standard, Ozil said he was only on the motorway briefly and due to exit at Mill Hill, pointing out that a speed of 97kmph would only have amounted to around 60mph.
“I do not suggest that this in any way excuses my driving on the day at all — I fully accept that the speed my vehicle was travelling is wholly unacceptable.”
The footballer, who has fallen out of favour at Arsenal in recent months, has asked for a fine rather than a ban.
“I travel to work on a daily basis by car and have personal commitments and a very young baby daughter [seven months old],” he added.
“In the current climate I would be very much against travelling on public transport with my baby daughter. My wife does not drive and therefore by necessity I will have to undertake the driving to any healthcare appointments for my daughter.”
The court will hand down its decision later this month.
It is not the first time that Ozil has had difficulties on the road.
Last year, he came under attack by armed robbers while in the car with his wife, Amine, and teammate Sead Kolašinac. Video footage of the incident showed Mr Kolašinac fighting off the men, who both received jail sentences.
Following the ordeal, Ozil told The Athletic, a sports website, that he was scared for his wife as the attackers pursued his car.