Nick Freeman
Encyclopedia
Nick Freeman is an English
solicitor
. Freeman is the owner of Manchester
based legal practice Freeman & Co., and is best known as a celebrity defence lawyer
, specialising in traffic and speeding offences.
He has been nicknamed "Mr. Loophole" by the British tabloid press, a soubriquet which he has since Trademarked.
in Rutland
. His father was in retail, but warned him there would not be a business for him to take over. Although harbouring ambitions to become a professional golfer
, he was persuaded to study law. Freeman completed his A-levels a year early, and went on to study law at Trent Polytechnic
, followed by law school at the College of Law in Chester
.
On graduation, Freeman became an Articled Clerk in Nottingham. He won an advocacy competition, and was hired as a prosecutor for Greater Manchester Police
in 1981. In 1983, he moved to a firm of criminal lawyers in Manchester
, and was a partner within six months. Aged 42, he left and set up Freeman & Co in Manchester. Freeman gained notoriety for getting acquittals for a number of high profile celebrities, and is reputed to be one of the highest paid lawyers in the UK. Freeman also still handles legal aid
work and is on the Legal Services Commission’s specialist fraud panel.
. Freeman denied the allegations, and after an extended release on bail, no charges were brought against him after it emerged that he had not spoken to the client.
As to the ethics of what he does, he comments:
in 1999. Freeman argued that Ferguson had to use the hard shoulder to get to the training ground to allow for his upset stomach and need for a toilet
. Clients since have included:
, Cheshire
. They have a holiday villa on the French Riviera
, and have two children.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. Freeman is the owner of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
based legal practice Freeman & Co., and is best known as a celebrity defence lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, specialising in traffic and speeding offences.
He has been nicknamed "Mr. Loophole" by the British tabloid press, a soubriquet which he has since Trademarked.
Biography
Freeman is Jewish and was educated at Uppingham SchoolUppingham School
Uppingham School is a co-educational independent school of the English public school tradition, situated in the small town of Uppingham in Rutland, England...
in Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
. His father was in retail, but warned him there would not be a business for him to take over. Although harbouring ambitions to become a professional golfer
Golfer
Golfer may refer to:* A person who plays golf according to the rules.* Professional golfer* "The Golfer", an episode of The Honeymooners...
, he was persuaded to study law. Freeman completed his A-levels a year early, and went on to study law at Trent Polytechnic
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
, followed by law school at the College of Law in Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
.
On graduation, Freeman became an Articled Clerk in Nottingham. He won an advocacy competition, and was hired as a prosecutor for Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police is the police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England...
in 1981. In 1983, he moved to a firm of criminal lawyers in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, and was a partner within six months. Aged 42, he left and set up Freeman & Co in Manchester. Freeman gained notoriety for getting acquittals for a number of high profile celebrities, and is reputed to be one of the highest paid lawyers in the UK. Freeman also still handles legal aid
Legal aid
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people otherwise unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial.A number of...
work and is on the Legal Services Commission’s specialist fraud panel.
Arrest
On 30 October 2006, Freeman and one other man were arrested by Greater Manchester Police at premises in the centre of Manchester, and were held at a police station. The arrest was for suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice by encouraging a client to lie under oath, and the arrest was on behalf of an investigation being undertaken by Gwent PoliceGwent Police
Gwent Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing the local authority areas of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen in southeast Wales....
. Freeman denied the allegations, and after an extended release on bail, no charges were brought against him after it emerged that he had not spoken to the client.
Briefing
The client never meets Freeman before the case as he does not want to be compromised by any extraneous detail a defendant might reveal to him. The first handshake usually happens minutes after the case has ended.Loopholes
Freeman's knowledge of motoring law often exposes police officers not following the legal process, identifying discrepancies in the evidence or shortcomings in procedures leading up to the charges - establishing that inadequate statutory warnings were given before blood or breath tests were taken.- A motorcyclist was acquitted of a 132 mph speeding charge when Freeman quoted case law from 1922.
- Ashley Fitton, was cleared of drunk-driving based on the defence of coercion from the Criminal Justice Act 1925, claiming she was terrified she would be hurt by her husband if she did not drive him.
- Freeman "defended a businessman who had crashed his car and was taken to hospital seriously injured", and who was over the drunk-drive limit, and was acquitted as "the relevant legislation says that the blood must be taken by someone who is not associated with the driver's care. In this case, it was taken by a surgeon directly involved, and so the man was acquitted."
As to the ethics of what he does, he comments:
Clients
His first high profile case was that of Sir Alex FergusonAlex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
in 1999. Freeman argued that Ferguson had to use the hard shoulder to get to the training ground to allow for his upset stomach and need for a toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
. Clients since have included:
- Caprice BourretCaprice BourretCaprice Bourret is an American supermodel, actress, television personality and businesswoman. She currently resides in the United Kingdom where she runs her company By Caprice Lingerie Ltd.- Early life :...
- Freeman claimed the model had a urinary tract infection, and that she was affected by the drugs she was taking. Banned for 12 months. - Lee BowyerLee BowyerLee David Bowyer is an English professional footballer born in Canning Town, London, who plays as a midfielder for Ipswich Town of the Football League Championship....
- the Crown Prosecution ServiceCrown Prosecution ServiceThe Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...
initially alleged that Bowyer had been driving at an average 112mph (180km/h) on the A1, peaking at 132mph (212km/h). Freeman negotiated with the CPS at NorthumberlandNorthumberlandNorthumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
court, following irregularities with the road markings, (which were too short, giving a *lower* speed than expected). The West Ham United midfielder pleaded guilty instead to driving at 99mph (159km/h) on the A1. He was banned (as it was his second speeding offence in 3 years) for 42 days and fined £650. It prompted a furious response from road safety charity Brake. - Jimmy CarrJimmy CarrJames Anthony Patrick "Jimmy" Carr is an English-Irish comedian and humourist. He is known for his deadpan delivery and dark humour. He is also a writer, actor and presenter of radio and television....
- cleared of using a mobile phone while driving at HarrowLondon Borough of HarrowThe London Borough of Harrow is a London borough of north-west London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and other London boroughs: Hillingdon to the west, Ealing to the south, Brent to the south-east and Barnet to the east.-History:...
Magistrates Court after Freeman argued that Carr had used the dictation setting of his iPhoneIPhoneThe iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
to record a joke as he drove and that using the phone for such a purpose was not illegal under current law. - Jeremy ClarksonJeremy ClarksonJeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
- after being loaned a car by Alfa RomeoAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
, the vehicle was caught doing 82mph (131km/h) in a 50mph (80km/h) zone on the A40 in RuislipRuislipRuislip is a suburban area, centred on an old village in Greater London, and is part of the London Borough of Hillingdon.It was formerly also a parish covering the neighbouring areas of Eastcote, Northwood, Ruislip Manor and South Ruislip in the area. The parish appears in the Domesday Book, and...
. Alfa Romeo sent the ticket to Clarkson, who was acquitted and awarded costs because the prosecution did not offer evidence as to who the actual driver was at the time of the offence. - Andy ColeAndy ColeAndrew Alexander Cole is a retired English footballer. He is most well known by the name Andy Cole , but in 2000, he reputedly asked to be known as Andrew Cole...
- Andrew FlintoffAndrew FlintoffAndrew "Freddie" Flintoff MBE is a former English cricketer who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club, England and the Indian Premier League team Chennai Super Kings. A tall fast bowler, batsman and slip fielder, Flintoff according to the ICC rankings was consistently rated amongst the top...
- caught on camera doing 87mph (140km/h) in a temporary 50mph (80km/h) zone, Freeman pointed out that the prosecution notice was sent two days later than the law allows. Flintoff only had to turn up at Liverpool Magistrates Court to confirm his name, age and address to be completely let off. - Claire Ince, the wife of then Wolverhampton Wanderers player Paul IncePaul IncePaul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...
. Caught travelling at 100mph in her husband's Mercedes-Benz CL600 along the M56M56M56 or M-56 may refer to:* Messier 56, a globular cluster in the constellation Lyra* M56 motorway, a motorway in England* M56 Lena highway * M56 howitzer, a Yugoslav copy of the M101A1 howitzer...
at Thornton-Le-MoorsThornton-le-MoorsThornton-le-Moors is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. At the census of 2001 it had a population of 260....
by Cheshire Police, they sent a Section172 notice to Paul, the registered keeper. Claire filled in the form, and was asked to attend court. Facing an immediate ban, Freeman pointed out that Claire should have been sent her own Section 172, before being charged. She was let off. - Steve McFaddenSteve McFaddenSteve McFadden is an English actor, known for his role as Phil Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, which he has played since1990.-Early life:...
- who "had a remarkable capacity for drink" and was examined by a police surgeon, had drunk the equivalent of nine double vodkas, and was found "for all intents and purposes to be quite sober." McFadden was banned for 18 months, which is a fairly lenient sentence for the amount of alcohol in his blood. - Colin MontgomerieColin MontgomerieColin Stuart Montgomerie, OBE is a Scottish professional golfer, often referred to by one of his nicknames 'Monty'. He has had one of the finest careers in European Tour history, having won a record eight Order of Merit titles, including a streak of seven consecutively from 1993 to 1999, and 31...
- acquitted when the policeman who was said to have caught him travelling at 96mph (154km/h) on the A3 near Esher, Surrey (a 70mph (112km/h) road) at 12:50am failed to attend court, making it impossible to prove that he was driving. Got him off a second time from a 56 day ban in November 2008, after caught driving his Bentley Continental Flying SpurBentley Continental Flying Spur (2005)The Bentley Continental Flying Spur is a four-door variant of the Bentley Continental GT coupé. The Bentley Continental Flying Spur was introduced in 2005....
and failing to pay the fine. Freeman revealed that Montgomerie hated flying, and drove 55000 miles (88,513.7 km) per annum in part to see his Surrey based children from his Scottish base. In 2010, Freeman had Montgomerie's points-tot-up ban quashed after revealing the indiscriminate way in which the civilian speed gun operator at Corby Hill, CarlisleCity of CarlisleThe City of Carlisle is a local government district of Cumbria, England, with the status of a city and non-metropolitan district. It is named after its largest settlement, Carlisle, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Brampton and Longtown, as well as outlying villages...
had 'zapped' 390 cars in 73 minutes, one every 11 seconds, including Montgomerie's BMW X5BMW X5The BMW X5 is a luxury crossover SUV introduced in 1999 as the first generation E53. It was BMW's first SUV also known as "Four-by-Four" in the UK. It features all-wheel drive which is branded as the "X" drive system and is available with either manual or automatic transmission...
as well as a jogger. The case resulted in over 100 drivers having their points also quashed, and the tax payer with a £30,000 legal bill. - Tiff NeedellTiff NeedellTimothy "Tiff" Needell isa British racing driver and television presenter. He is best known as a former co-presenter of Top Gear and current co-presenter of Fifth Gear.-Biography:...
- cleared of failing to supply details in relation to a speeding ticket, and the speeding offence by PontypriddPontypriddPontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
magistrates - Ronnie O'SullivanRonnie O'SullivanRonald Antonio "Ronnie" O'Sullivan , is an English professional snooker player known for his rapid playing style and nicknamed "The Rocket". He has been World Champion on three occasions , and is second on the all-time prize-money list, with career earnings of over £6 million, behind only Stephen...
- Freeman accused the magistrate of winking at a journalist. The magistrate replied: "Why would I wink at anybody? Do you think I'm gay or something?" Freeman subsequently had the trial stopped. At the retrial, the court accepted the explanation that O'Sullivan was "too depressed" to provide a urine sample. - Wayne RooneyWayne RooneyWayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
- cleared of driving without insurance when Freeman said that a requested adjournment had not been granted and the hearing had been conducted in absentia. - William StobartWilliam StobartWilliam Stobart is the current Chief Operating Officer of the Stobart Group Limited.He currently lives in his newly built home at Peover Superior in Cheshire....
- the driver of a car allegedly doing 116 mph (185km/h) on the M6 claimed he was William Stobart: but was he the same William Stobart who exercised his right not to attend the hearing at PenrithPenrith, CumbriaPenrith was an urban district between 1894 and 1974, when it was merged into Eden District.The authority's area was coterminous with the civil parish of Penrith although when the council was abolished Penrith became an unparished area....
Magistrates? The court decided the prosecution had not proved the driver was Mr Freeman’s client, CumbriaCumbriaCumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
n haulage tycoon William Stobart - Matthew VaughnMatthew VaughnMatthew Vaughn is an English film producer and director known for producing such films as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch and directing the films Layer Cake , Stardust and Kick-Ass...
- Jonathan WoodgateJonathan WoodgateJonathan Simon Woodgate is an English footballer who plays for Stoke City in the Premier League.Woodgate started his football career at Leeds United where he established himself in the starting eleven. However, Woodgate was sold to Newcastle United for £9 million in January 2003. He impressed...
- banned from driving and since convicted of affray. Freeman defended Woodgate successfully in August 2008, after the footballer was allegedly caught doing 85mph (135km/h) in a restricted zone in his Mercedes Benz S65 AMGMercedes-Benz W221The Mercedes-Benz W221 is a chassis code of S-Class, the successor of Mercedes-Benz W220.The vehicle was unveiled in 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show.-Styling:The W221 S-Class' exterior styling is distinctly different to the W220...
on the A66 near Stockton-on-TeesStockton-on-TeesStockton-on-Tees is a market town in north east England. It is the major settlement in the unitary authority and borough of Stockton-on-Tees. For ceremonial purposes, the borough is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire as it also incorporates a number of smaller towns including...
. The judge dismissed the case as the police said the measurement was taken over a distance of 519 metres, while Freeman showed that the road section was only 405 metres long. - Dwight YorkeDwight YorkeDwight Eversley Yorke is a Trinidad and Tobago former football player. He played for Aston Villa for most of his career, followed by stints with Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sydney FC and Sunderland...
- acquitted when a Home Office-approved speed gun could not be shown to have been used under the correct conditions of approval. Freeman defended Yorke again in January 2008, whereby Yorke refused to sign police documentation to confirm he accepted he was speeding at 95mph (152km/h). Freeman advised Yorke to plead guilty to a charge of 85mph (135km/h), which resulted in a fine of £315 and 3points - keeping Yorke below 12 points, and an automatic ban. - The husband of Coronation Street actress Vicky EntwistleVicky EntwistleVicky Entwistle is an English actress who is most famous for playing the role of "loudmouth" factory worker Janice Battersby in ITV1's long-running soap opera Coronation Street....
, Andrew Chapman, was represented by Nick Freeman against an allegation that he punched a fan who approached his wife on a train and asked her for a photo. Chapman pleaded not guilty at Salford magistrates' court, but was convicted of common assault and fined.
Personal life
Freeman and his wife live in KnutsfordKnutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. They have a holiday villa on the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
, and have two children.
External links
- FreemanKeepOnDriving.com - a motorists legal advice "club" set up by Freeman
- Trio get loophole law ace