Rangers captain ‘vindicated’ after being cleared of dangerous driving

The lawyer for Rangers captain James Tavernier said his client feels “completely vindicated” after he was cleared of driving dangerously in Glasgow.

Aamer Anwar said the footballer always believed he had done “nothing wrong” when he was pulled over by police while driving home from Ibrox.

Sheriff Kevin McCarron found Tavernier not guilty of a single charge of dangerous driving after a trial lasting several hours at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday.

Two police officers told the court their vehicle had to travel at speeds of around 80mph in order to catch up with his Porsche 911 along Crown Road and Anniesland Road on April 21 2021.

However, the sheriff said he was “troubled” by “inconsistencies” in the evidence from the constables.

Mr Anwar said of his client: “He feels completely vindicated.

“He could have taken the easy option when he was offered a fixed penalty notice, but he believed he did nothing wrong. As far as he’s concerned that’s the matter now over.”

Earlier, Tavernier gave evidence in the trial, where he denied driving at excessive speeds.

Under questioning from his defence agent John Scullion KC, the 31-yearold told the court his manager at the time, Steven Gerard, had been in a vehicle travelling behind him when police first noticed his car.

The Rangers captain told the court he was driving in a “normal manner”.

The Police Scotland constables had said they’d heard loud accelerating noises and saw the Porsche and a Mercedes AMG stop abruptly at traffic lights.

Tavernier recounted how the two police officers pulled him over and told him they had needed to drive at around 80mph to catch up with him.

The Rangers captain said: “I said that’s not fair because it’s your word against mine.”

Sheriff McCarron noted that no evidence had been presented in relation to the speed of Tavernier’s vehicle. He said there were other aspects of the evidence from the police which “troubled” him.

James Tavernier.