Billionaire businessman who bought BHS for a quid, Dominic Chappell, is banned from driving after being busted speeding
BILLIONAIRE BHS owner Dominic Chappell claimed he would struggle to afford taxis or a chauffeur as he was banned from driving after being caught speeding in his £75,000 car.
The 49-year-old told officers when he was caught that he used to be a racing driver and had never been involved in a collision.
The court heard today how Chappell, who bought now-defunct high street chain BHS from Sir Philip Green for £1 in 2015, would struggle to pay for taxis to and from London - despite declaring an annual income of more than £250,000.
He was clocked driving at 63.9mph in a 40 zone in his £75,000 green Range Rover.
Chappell admitted the single driving offence at an earlier hearing and was given six points off of his licence, taking his total to 16 points.
The businessman also apologised to BHS workers after the case and said he "deeply regretted" the situation.
His lawyers had argued that billionaire Chappell should keep his licence so he could drive to and from London every day to assist with the investigations into the collapse of BHS.
Chappell declared a monthly income of £25,000 in writing to the court and claimed he had been abused on public transport.
Michael Levy, defending, asked: "Would it be realistic for you to employ a chauffeur? Could you afford to?"
"I could but it would be a stretch," Chappell answered.
Mr Levy continued: "What about a taxi?"
Chappell said: "A return trip to London in a taxi would be £400 or £500 a day."
He added: "I have only once taken the train to London and was in one of the carriages and two people I didn't know came over and started making quite strong language and suggestions."
Mr Levy added that Chappell, Winterbourne, Dorset, would have to carry boxes of paperwork on public transport if he lost his licence, and said the nearest train station was around 20 miles away from his home.
But magistrates at Aldershot Magistrates Court in Hampshire today ruled that Chappell could take public transport and banned him from the roads.
Paul Matcham, prosecuting, said: "The officer said he saw a Range Rover which he believed was travelling in excess of the 40mph speed limit.
"The driver identified himself as Mr Chappell and the offence was pointed out.
"He said that he drives more than 30,000 miles a year and that he used to be a racing driver."
Magistrates ruled that Chappell, who has been bankrupt on three occasions, was capable of taking public transport to London for his meetings and that his speeding was so excessive that he should be disqualified from driving.
Jenny Gove, presiding magistrate, added: "We have listened to everything your solicitor has said on your behalf but we found that the speeding was very excessive.
"We have listened to everything you have said and we do not find exceptional hardship in your case.
"You are the one that is going to be punished. We feel you can either stay in London or leave your paper work with your lawyers."
Chappell was chaperoned to court in the same car he was caught speeding in and had to be driven home after the hearing when he lost his licence.
Speaking after the hearing, the 49-year-old said: "I was speeding and I shouldn't have been and that is what has happened, so I have six months off driving and I am sorry for that and wasting the court's time."
He continued: "I feel very sorry for [BHS workers] as I said publicly.
"I'm afraid BHS was a very difficult turn around operation for us, we failed in doing that and we deeply regret that situation but we are not the only ones who are under scrutiny at the moment."
Doomed BHS collapsed in April this year leaving an estimated 11,000 workers without a job and more than £500 million lost from its pension fund.
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