Boxer's ban is invalid (From Free Press Series)

Boxer's ban is invalid

WORLD champion boxer Joe Calzaghe is back on the road after his driving ban was invalidated in court.

The 32-year-old super-middleweight champ was shocked to discover he had been disqualified from driving in his absence by Cwmbran magistrates on November 22.

Newbridge-born Joe found out about the ban when reporters from our sister paper the Argus contacted him for comments.

He was convicted of speeding and fined £245 and, after previous points on his licence were totted up, given a six-month ban.

When he heard about the ban he said he had never been told to appear in court and launched an immediate appeal.

On Thursday, in a statutory declaration at Blackwood magistrates court, the ban was invalidated.

His solicitor, Justin Evans, of Hugh James Ford Simey, said: "Mr Calzaghe didn't know anything about the court proceedings until they were concluded and, because he had no knowledge of the proceedings until the Argus called him and told him about it, the proceedings against my client have been rendered invalid.

"This does not prevent the authorities from restarting proceedings at a later date but that's a decision that has to be taken by the relevant authorities."

For the time being, Joe is free to get back into his BMW M3 and on the road."

He said: "I'm fine to drive again now. I knew I had nine points on my licence but I was shocked to hear I'd been banned from driving.

"But they sent the warning that I had three points to my old address, so I didn't get that, and that's where they sent the notice to appear in court as well."