Former England footballer Frank Lampard has been seen for the first time since he escaped prosecution after being caught on video driving his £250,000 Mercedes G wagon holding a coffee and his mobile phone.
Ex-Chelsea singer was charged with using a mobile device/handheld while driving a vehicle on the road. He appeared in court Monday.
Christine Bleakley (43 years old) denied the charge and hired Nick Freeman (known as Mr Loophole), to defend him.
Today, he was seen returning to his London home in his Bentley for the first time since authorities said there was not enough evidence to prosecute him.
Vigilante cyclist Mike van Erp, who caught Lampard driving with a phone in one hand and a coffee in the other raged ‘justice is broken’ and slammed the former footballer for ‘getting off scot-free’ despite his video recording of the incident in Kensington, west London.
CyclingMikey (a Dutch YouTuber) claimed that he spoke to officers and admitted that cases were being ‘binned right and left in order to reduce the enormous backlog of court cases caused by the pandemic.
On Friday, the Crown Prosecution Service abruptly stopped all prosecutions against him despite video footage showing them holding both items inside his car. Prosecutors claimed that footage didn’t prove the device was turned on.
Former England footballer Frank Lampard has been seen for the first time since he escaped prosecution after being caught on video driving his £250,000 Mercedes G wagon holding a coffee and his mobile phone
He was today seen going back to London for the first-time since authorities decided there wasn’t enough evidence to charge him
The footage shows Lampard with a cup of takeaway coffee in his right hand and a mobile phone in his left one
Frank Lampard was caught on video driving his £250,000 Mercedes G wagon in Kensington and car was stationary at time
Lampard plead not guilty. CPS decided to drop the case for lack of evidence.
Christine Lampard, Frank Lampard, at the Glamour Women of The Year Awards and Arrivals in Berkeley Square Gardens, 2017
Mike van Erp (pictured) claims to have caught more than 350 drivers breaking the law last year alone, and says he was responsible for 574 points and £35,400 dished out in fines
Mr van Erp slammed Lampard and the decision today, telling Road.cc: ‘I think he’s gotten off scot-free as the case was discontinued.
“A couple of coppers claim that the justice system is in crisis and they’re binning cases all the time to try and reduce the enormous backlog.”
MailOnline received a statement from the Alliance of British Drivers stating that “There’s only one way to drive” and that it is with two hands.
“And it’s better to leave any pets in a box or on the ground because they could become missiles if they breek.”
The London Road Safety Council said: “All road users must take the highest care for their safety as well as the safety of others.
“Road-users who are distracted while driving can lead to grief and distress for others. Everybody, regardless of their status, needs to set high standards.
The case was deemed set to fail because it could not prove the footballer-turned-manager was using the phone for interactive communications.
Footage, taken on a GoPro mounted on Mr van Erp’s head, shows the valuable Mercedes stationary in traffic.
Lampard is sipping a cup coffee with his right hand, and he has his phone in his left. He also has his black-and-white dog as a passenger.
The man looks shocked before van Erp stated: “He is on his smartphone, clearly holding it and simultaneously talking to it. Also, he was holding a cup coffee.
MailOnline Lampard reported that Mr Freeman was not guilty because the case was abandoned.
He said: ‘The Crown Prosecution Service have now concluded three days before the case was due before court there was insufficient evidence.
“It happened after we received a statement by a passenger in our car.
“They’d have to show that he was driving and using the phone for interactive purposes.
All that is required would be beyond reasonable doubt. The case was dropped and he plead not guilty. He’s now been found not guilty.
Lampard is seen with his mobile phone up towards his face, but his mouth remains closed throughout the video.
He appears in a different photo taken by Mr van Erp. It seems that the screen is locked, which suggests it was not being used.
Unseen passengers were also present in the vehicle, along with a dog that sat next to the football player.
Lampard, according to the Met Police, admitted that he was behind the wheel. A fixed penalty fine was also offered earlier this year. However, he refused to pay it.
Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said that the case was being withdrawn due to lack of evidence.
The Metropolitan Police Service submitted a file of evidence. They stated that they had examined it and concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to support a conviction.
Van Erp sent footage to the police, and stated that he was disgusted by what he saw.
Drivers across the nation have echoed these sentiments after being successfully charged with using their mobile devices while driving.
Fabella Sab stated, having used her vehicle regularly to drive her grandmother, that there is ‘one rule about the rich and one rule about the rest of us.
When an officer approached, she claimed that she was just checking her satellite navigation.
Ms. Sab said, “If I could afford a lawyer such as that, I would have made it.”
It has been one rule that applies to the famous and wealthy, but one rule that is applicable to everyone else. It’s unfair and causes my blood to boil.
An anonymous motorist said that she was forced to use her cell phone to monitor her speed after her father passed away.
She stated, “I instantly picked up my cell phone because I just received word that my father was in the final stages of his life. It seemed like it could be the care home letting me know he’s gone.
“So, when all these people get off and the rest of us are suffering it makes it so maddening and unfair.
Van Erp previously used the GoPro camera mounted to his helmet to catch motorists that he claims are violating road traffic laws.
Guy Ritchie was his most prominent snag. He was eventually banned. After being confronted by cameras, he stopped driving for six more months in the summer.
Mr van Erp claims to have caught more than 350 drivers breaking the law last year alone, and says he was responsible for 574 points and £35,400 dished out in fines.
After a successful career identifying technical errors in driving charges and negotiating lucrative settlements for clients, Mr Freeman was nicknamed “Mr Loophole”.
In 2018, he got David Beckham off a speeding fine after pointing out legal papers had been served too late.
He fought for Jeremy Clarkson in 2006 and his speeding case was dropped The former Top Gear host revealed that there is no evidence the car was loaned to him. He was able to speed up from 82 mph to 50 mph.
West Londoner van Erp captured Hollywood director Ritchie at work texting in Hyde Park last summer. He then uploaded videos to his YouTube channel, “CyclingMikey”, under titles like “Give me the Finger, Get a Fixed Penalty Notice”, “A total scofflaw” and “quite a satisfying bit of justice”.
Guy Ritchie, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Director, was stationary when Guy Ritchie, the vigilante, began typing on his cell phone.
Before alerting police, he videotaped Ritchie, who was previously married to Madonna.
Van Erp is a full-time instructor of roller skating and a caregiver. He has 64,700 subscribers.
MailOnline spoke to him about his passion for crime-fighting and stated that “I absolutely believe I’m doing what I can keep the roads safe.”
The points system is intended to motivate people to drive more efficiently.
“I received quite a number of anonymous death threats because of what I do.
“My dad died from a drink driver in my twenties. I can still recall him so I strongly believe that road safety is important.
“I got my first helmet cam in 2006 and realized its potential.”
Mr van Erp’s other high-profile scalps include retired boxer Chris Eubank, who was claimed he was a police officer when he was challenged about using his mobile phone at the wheel of his £370,000 Rolls Royce – before promptly driving off and jumping a red light.
Eubank was challenged by Mr van Erp for his smartphone. However, he did not recognize him and asked him: ‘Are your famous?
Eubank was handed three penalty points and ordered to pay £280 in costs at Bromley Magistrates’ Court after admitting to failing to comply with the indication given by a traffic sign.
You can’t use your hand-held device while driving unless the vehicle is safely parked.
This does not cover you if your queue is long or at traffic lights.
Only exceptions are for emergencies calls that cannot be stopped safely.
Punishment is six penalty points and a £200 fine, or if a driver has passed less than two weeks earlier they can even lose their licence.