Villa boss banned for speeding

Safety campaigners today warned of the dangers of speeding after Aston Villa manager John Gregory was banned from the road for driving at 112mph.

Safety campaigners today warned of the dangers of speeding after Aston Villa manager John Gregory was banned from the road for driving at 112mph.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said decision by magistrates at Hendon, north London, to disqualify Gregory for 28 days should act as a reminder to motorists to kill their speed.

RoSPA spokesman Roger Vincent said: "Our concern is that there is very little a driver can do if something goes wrong at that speed.

"This case should act as a reminder to everyone to keep an eye on the speedometer and slow down."

Mr Vincent added: "It's frightening to think what might have happened. If something had gone wrong at that speed, even if he thought he was in control of his vehicle, he cannot predict what is going to happen around him.

"We know that excessive speed is a major factor in more than a third of road accidents - it's vital that everybody does their best to reduce their speed and the carnage on Britain's roads."

Traffic officers clocked Gregory, 46, of Sutton Coldfield, doing 112mph in his Jaguar XK8 on the M1B in Mill Hill, north London, at 8am on April 16, The Birmingham Post reported.

The soccer boss, who was on his way home a day after his club's 4-2 triumph at Tottenham Hotspur, was also fined £540 and ordered to pay £35 costs after admitting the offence.