BOXING promoter Barry Hughes told a court he used his mobile phone while driving because he didn't know how to work the hands free device in his courtesy car.

 

Two officers spotted Hughes, 36, using the device while driving an Audi A4 through the streets of Paisley at around 10.55am on July 4, 2012.

And, when they went to speak to the father-of-five, Paisley's Justice of the Peace Court heard he admitted he was not up to speed with the technology in the expensive motor.

Hughes, who was the manager of troubled former boxing champ Scott Harrison, also accused the police officers who nabbed him of lying.

He said: "The previous night my baby girl had a very high temperature.

"I was anxious to see if my wife had been to the doctors and see my wee baby girl was okay.

"There was nowhere to pull in safely.

"I placed it back in the drinks holder.

"I can't accept doing something I didn't do.

"I think it's absolute lies what those police officers said."

PC Murdoch, a 45-year-old officer with 21 years' police service, told the court that he saw Hughes using his phone while driving.

He said: "He was holding a mobile phone in his right hand at his right ear.

"He appeared to be talking into the phone - his lips were moving."

The officer also said he never heard Hughes mentioning one of his children being sick.

Hughes, of Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, was found guilty of using his phone while driving, fined £250 and given three points on his license.

Hughes was last year jailed for 43 months for lying on mortgage applications but freed after 19 days and fined £45,000 instead,

Hughes lied on mortgage applications about his wife's income when they bought a property in Bridge of Weir, near Glasgow in 2004.

He also admitted laundering around £130,000 from the sale of a house and £30,000 from a Rolex watch.

In October a case to claim Proceeds of Crime cash from Hughes was put off for six months after Glasgow Sheriff Court heard accountants were scrutinising £10million of spending.

Hughes, who also has convictions for assault and carrying a knife, was declared bankrupt in December.