England and Manchester City footballer John Stones has been caught using a mobile phone at the wheel of his £400,000 Rolls Royce.
Stones (27 years old) was seen holding the device in one hand while he drove off from Manchester’s Etihad Campus Training Ground last week.
The defender, who signed for Man City for an initial £47.5million in 2016, was driving through a road junction towards a main road in his Rolls Royce SUV when pictured.
It comes just days before a change to the Highway Code that will see drivers hit with fines of up to £200 and six points on their licence if caught using a mobile phone at the wheel from Saturday.
Last week, former Chelsea player and manager Frank Lampard escaped prosecution after being caught on video driving his 250,000 Mercedes G wagon while holding a coffee and mobile phone in Kensington, west London.
Lampard was charged with using a mobile phone or device while driving on roads.
He denied that he had committed the offense and instead hired Nick Freeman, also known as Mr Loophole, to represent him.
After reviewing the video footage, however, the Crown Prosecution Service decided to drop the case.
John Stones pictured looking into a blue mobile phone at the wheel of his £400,000 Rolls Royce SUV
A road junction led the defender to a main street, which is just short of Manchester City’s Etihad Campus Training Ground.
Stones, wearing a hoodie, seemed to be holding his phone in one hand and the steering wheel with the other.
It comes just days before a change to the Highway Code that will see drivers hit with fines of up to £200 and six points on their licence if caught using a mobile phone at the wheel
Stones had just left Man City’s Etihad campus when he was photographed last week
Prosecutors claimed that the video taken by Mike van Erp (a vigilante cyclist) did not show whether or not the phone had been turned on.
Current law stipulates that drivers cannot use their hand-held devices behind the wheel of a car unless it is safe to park. The only exception is for emergencies.
It does not matter if the driver is at a traffic light, waiting in traffic, supervising another driver or is stopped by a traffic signal.
A motorist can use a device “hands-free” behind the wheel of a Sat-Nav if it’s secured in a car. Police may still charge them with driving offences if they’re not in control.
Announcing the strengthening of existing driving laws in November last year, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: ‘Too many deaths and injuries occur while mobile phones are being held.
“By making prosecutions easier for people who illegally use their phones at the wheel, the law will be brought into the 21st Century while protecting all road users.
Stones in action during a Premier League match against Everton at the Etihad Stadium in November last year
“While the roads we use are safest around the globe, our team will keep working hard to make them even safer.”
The new laws make it illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving under virtually any circumstance, while drivers will be banned from using their phones to take photos or videos, scroll through playlists or play games later this year.
To ensure the laws regarding driving are in line with technological advancements, drivers may make contactless payments via their mobile phone.
Exemptions will apply to drive-thru restaurants and roads tolls.
Mary Williams OBE is Chief Executive Officer of Brake, a road safety charity. She stated: “Driver distraction can lead to death. Using a handheld phone while driving is not worth it.
“This is a good news for families who have suffered bereavement or catastrophic injuries due to driver distractions by their phones.
A government survey was published the same day that found that younger motorists are more likely than older drivers to use a mobile phone while driving, despite the fact that it is widely acknowledged that using a mobile phone at the wheel can be dangerous and unacceptable.