Spurs star Jermain Defoe locked up for night in police blunder over driving ban

Defoe, with girlfriend Imogen Thomas, says he was targeted by police
12 April 2012

Tottenham Hotspur and England striker Jermain Defoe is set to sue the police after he was arrested and held in custody for five hours this morning following a computer blunder.

The 26-year-old footballer was pulled over at 2.30am in Loughton, Essex by officers claiming he was driving while disqualified. He was taken to Harlow police station and locked in a cell.

He claims officers ignored his protests that a six-month driving ban handed to him earlier this month had been suspended pending an appeal.

When officers finally confirmed that they had wrongfully detained him, they released him without charge at 9am.

A source close to the star said he is claiming that he was put through an "ordeal" by Essex police, who he believes have targeted him due to his high profile. The source added: "He is very distressed and thought that he wouldn't make it in time to fly out to Beijing today for Spurs' pre-season tour of Asia." Mr Defoe's lawyer Nick Freeman, known as Mr Loophole for helping celebrities evade driving convictions, said Defoe was "considering his position" after being "humiliated".

Mr Freeman said today: "There seems to be a total disconnect between the courts, DVLA and police resulting in my client having to endure not only the humiliation of arrest, but also being incarcerated like a common criminal."

Mr Defoe is also claiming that even after his release, police officers continued the ordeal by refusing to give him his car back until he produced his documents — and stated they were not sure where they had put the vehicle.

Mr Freeman said: "They also refused to return the keys, which were on the same bunch as his house keys, causing Mr Defoe extreme difficulties."

Essex Police admitted they had wrongfully detained the footballer and blamed it on details on the police national computer not being fully updated.

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