Romeo Beckham convicted over phone use while driving after ignoring police offer

Romeo Beckham, 23, has been convicted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London of driving without proper control after he was caught using his phone while behind the wheel. The son of David and Victoria Beckham was sentenced in his absence to three penalty points, a £440 fine, £130 in court costs and a further £176 surcharge.

The incident took place in September last year, when Beckham was driving his Porsche 911 in Westminster. According to the police evidence, he had stopped at a red light when an officer noticed an unidentified woman in the passenger seat and a loose dog on her lap. British rules require pets to be restrained in cars so they do not distract the driver.

The officer said Beckham was looking down with his head lowered, holding his smartphone low on his lap near the steering wheel and scrolling with both thumbs. The car was stopped, he was given a brief warning about the unsecured dog, and then issued a report for the phone use because he appeared to be distracted and not in full control of the vehicle.

The case was handled through a fast-track, closed process based only on police testimony because Beckham did not submit a defense. Police said he had been offered a small fixed penalty and a driving course to avoid a criminal proceeding, but he did not respond. The court therefore convicted him without him appearing in person.