Michael Chopra
Ipswich/Newcastle: Chopra close to bankruptcy, ex-wife tells court during speeding case
Colin Adwent
Crime Correspondent
Monday, November 26, 2012
5:12 PM
IPSWICH Town striker Michael Chopra is on the brink of bankruptcy, his ex-wife has told a court.
Heather Swan asked for special dispensation to avoid a driving ban claiming neither she, nor her former husband, would be able to afford to send their son to school in a taxi.
Swan, an ex-model, appeared before Newcastle Magistrates Court to admit a speeding offence.
The 30-year-old’s guilty plea meant she was in danger of losing her licence after already totting up nine points for motoring offences.
During the hearing she said being banned would cause exceptional hardship. This was because Chopra did not have the money to pay for taxis for his four-year-old son, who goes to a private school around 10 miles away from Swan’s home in Medburn, near Newcastle.
When asked by prosecutor Paul Clark if Mr Chopra could pay the taxi fares to get to school should Swan lose her licence, she claimed her ex-husband was close to being bankrupt.
Swan was caught driving at 36mph in a 30mph zone in Barrack Road, Newcastle, on February 15.
At the time she was said to have been arguing with Mr Chopra in her Opel car.
Swan also told the court her home, which was bought for £850,000 in February 2008, was up for sale. However, it had been on the market for two years and she was unable to move closer to her son’s school until it was sold.
The magistrates accepted Swan’s exceptional hardship plea.
Swan had three penalty points added to her licence, which means she now has 12 points.
She was also ordered to pay a £90 fines, and ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs as well as a £15 government surcharge.
Chopra has also been convicted of driving offences.
In April this year he was disqualified from driving for six months and fined £400, after he admitted to running a red light in Ipswich in September last year.
It was Chopra’s third alleged driving offence in a two-month period.
Chopra’s well-publicised gambling addiction has seen him get into substantial debt.
In December last year Ipswich’s chief executive Simon Clegg revealed the 28-year-old’s debts were somewhere in the region of £250,000, with a significant percentage due to gambling. The club had advanced the striker £250,000 to help pay off loan sharks.
Mr Clegg also admitted the striker had been confronted by debt collectors at the club’s Playford Road training centre.
Ipswich also arranged for Chopra to stay at the Sporting Chance residential rehabilitation centre.
Chopra is also facing horse race-fixing allegations along with a number of other people.
A hearing on the matter is due to take place at the British Horseracing Authority’s offices in London on January 14.
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9 comments
Aside from anything else, once I'd finished laughing at the hardship claim of getting the child to private school, what has her ex husbands bank account got to do with her driving offence? She already had 9 points it was her choice to speed!
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MZH
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Even Peterborough players can afford watches and jewellery worth £12,500. A lot of footballers and their (ex-)wives clearly don't live in anything approaching the real world.
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Dave Love
Monday, November 26, 2012
Can't afford taxis? Shouldn't have committed the offences then, should you missus?
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beerlover
Monday, November 26, 2012
Did not have the money to pay for taxis for his four-year-old son, who goes to a private school around 10 miles away - I suggest you try joining the real world.
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R2 D2
Monday, November 26, 2012
Hardship? But they can still afford to send the child to a private school 10 miles away!! How about take him out of there and put him in a local school? That would save them a fortune!
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N M
Monday, November 26, 2012
cant afford a taxi, but can a private school! my heart bleeds, COME ON GET REAL
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storey78
Monday, November 26, 2012
Ain't this a sad story , i really feel sorry for them ?? This is a case about people who have had a golden opportunity in life and dammed well wasted it , end of story
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MIGUEL100
Monday, November 26, 2012
CANT AFFORD TAXIS TO SEND SON TO SCHOOL BUT CAN AFFORD THE PRIVATE SCHOOL HE ANTENDS, MY HEART BLEEDS. WHAT A JOKE
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storey78
Monday, November 26, 2012
My god he could do with some win bonuses !
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gaz man gaz
Monday, November 26, 2012