Dwight Yorke was given three points on his licence today after pleading guilty to driving at 85mph. The Sunderland midfielder, who was represented by Nick Freeman, the celebrity barrister who is nicknamed Mr Loophole, had been returning home from a holiday on July 8 last year when the incident occurred on the A179.

The 36-year-old Trinidad & Tobago player was seen by a police officer in an unmarked car on the A66 near Middlesbrough. The officer radioed a colleague ahead to check Yorke’s speed and the Sunderland player was pulled over.

Mr Freeman told magistrates in Hartlepool that his client had disagreed with the initial speed suggested by the officer. He said a disagreement over this at the roadside meant that Yorke had not signed the documentation at the time.

However, he added that the footballer accepted he had been travelling faster than the road’s 70mph speed limit and asked the court to take into consideration his guilty plea for the 85mph charge.

Yorke was given three penalty points on his licence and ordered to pay £150 costs and a £150 fine.

Noting that Yorke had a total of nine points on his licence, District Judge Stephen Earl warned the player that a further driving offence could mean the loss of his licence.

Speaking outside Hartlepool Magistrates’ Court, Mr Freeman, standing next to Yorke, said: “Dwight had always accepted he was speeding. He accepted that to the officers at the time. The only issue was the speed that he was travelling and that was clearly resolved today. He pleaded guilty to doing 85mph and he always accepted that.”

Mr Freeman has represented several high-profile clients on driving charges including Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham, Ronnie O’Sullivan, the snooker player, and Jeremy Clarkson, the TV presenter. He is nicknamed Mr Loophole because of his ability to find technicalities in the law for the benefit of his clients.