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FORMER Liverpool legend John Barnes escaped a driving ban after claiming he was too poor to hire a chauffeur.
Barnes, 44, was caught uninsured behind the wheel of his BMW X5 on the M6 motorway at Thelwall, Warrington, in June.
But the ex-Reds winger avoided a ban by insisting it would make his job as manager of the Jamaican national football side impossible.
The Liverpool favourite, who can earn between £3,000 and £4,000 a week, said employing a driver was not feasible as his wage, workload and travelling requirements varied drastically.
The court heard Barnes already has nine points on his licence - and the six-point penalty would have landed him an instant ban.
Appearing before Northwich magistrates Barnes, from Neston, said: “I wouldn’t expect them to fire me from the job but I would have difficulties carrying it out.
