Delight for football star Neil Ruddock as speeding charge dropped after Shropshire charity event
A speeding charge against football legend Neil "Razor" Ruddock relating to his trip home from a charity event in Shropshire were dropped after a witness failed to appear.
The former Liverpool and West Ham defender had been accused of driving a Mercedes flashed by a speed camera on his way home from a sportsman's evening at the Wynnstay Hotel in Oswestry in November 2013.
But the case at Kidderminster Magistrates Court was dismissed because a police witness "did not know" they had to turn up to court.
Ruddock, 46, said he was "gobsmacked" at the outcome.
The car captured on camera in Droitwich, Worcestershire, was allocated to Ruddock as a sponsored vehicle, but he denied being the driver, the court heard.
Miss Charlotte Gessey, prosecuting, said the witness in question had not received the letter calling them to court. She added there had been several cases of people not receiving the normal letter to say they were required to appear.
She sought an adjournment so the witness could give evidence at a later date but this was refused by the magistrates after Ruddock opposed the action.
Mr John Chester, chairman of the bench, said: "Mr Ruddock had to travel a long way today expecting a trial. That a witness is not here is no fault of his own."
Mr Ruddock, who was representing himself, claimed he had never received any correspondence in relation to the alleged speeding offence.
Speaking outside the court, where he posed for pictures with fans, he said: "I never got the letter. The first I knew was when I received a letter telling me I was guilty of not giving information.
"How ironic. I was trying to prove I didn't receive a letter and the police's own witness didn't receive their letter to be here at court."
Ruddock retired from football in 2003 and has since appeared on TV shows such as I'm a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here! and Celebrity Big Brother.
