ONE of the country's top comedians is due to stand trial at Sudbury next month to contest a speeding ticket.

Colin Adwent

ONE of the country's top comedians is due to stand trial at Sudbury next month to contest a speeding ticket.

Jimmy Carr, who lives in London, has pleaded not guilty to the offence.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the 36-year-old's case is scheduled to come before magistrates on May 13.

Carr is due to be represented by celebrity lawyer Nick Freeman, who is known as Mr Loophole and specialises in speeding cases.

Freeman is famed for his success in defending a string of high-profile clients including Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham and World snooker champion Ronnie O'Sullivan. The Manchester-based solicitor has even trademarked his nickname to prevent others cashing in on his fame and success.

Cambridge-educated Carr is accused of exceeding the speed limit on the A1071 at Boxford.

The offence was allegedly detected by a speed camera in place at the site.

Carr denied speeding at an earlier hearing and elected for a trial.

He was allegedly caught speeding on April 30 last year. The previous night Carr gave a sell-out performance at the Ipswich Regent.

No other details of the matter have been revealed, including what speed Carr was said to have been doing at the time of the alleged offence.

According to Suffolk Safecam's website a speed camera is mounted at the top of the hill at Boxford coming from the direction of Hadleigh, just inside the 40mph zone.

Carr is best known for his dead-pan delivery and guest appearances on panel shows including Have I Got News For You.

He once recorded the fastest track time on BBC Top Gear's "star in a reasonably priced car" feature.

Last month another speeding case against Carr was dropped at Feltham Magistrates' Court by prosecutors over a paperwork blunder.

Mr Freeman successfully argued that the court had acted unlawfully by moving the case to another date without his knowledge.

Carr was accused of breaking a 30mph limit while driving his Bentley in west London.

But when he arrived at court he found out the CPS had deferred the hearing to July so a specialist speeding prosecutor could be brought in.

Mr Freeman said the CPS claimed they had written to Carr in late February.

However, they accepted the letter could not possibly have arrived in time because of the way their internal postal system operates.

A member of Carr's management company, Chambers Management in London, said his impending court case was not a matter for them to comment on.