Leeds United and England footballer Rio Ferdinand was today fined £40 after he admitted speeding in his Aston Martin near Tadcaster - his second speeding offence in the past year.

Selby magistrates criticised the police, who they said "constrained their ability to deal with the matter" by recommending that Ferdinand be dealt with at the fixed penalty rate.

Ferdinand - who became the world's most expensive defender when he was transferred from West Ham to Leeds United in October for £18 million - also had his licence endorsed with three penalty points and ordered to pay court costs of £35.

The 22-year-old centre back was clocked at 95 mph on Christmas Eve on the A1 dual carriageway at Stutton with Hazlewood, which is a 70mph zone.

The court heard that Ferdinand had been convicted of drink-driving in 1997 - and in February last year he was fined £300 and his licence endorsed with six penalty points for speeding.

A letter from his solicitors asked for the matter to be dealt with in his absence. They said he was a highly-paid professional footballer, but declined to say what his income was.

Ferdinand, rumoured to be on £40,000 a week, said in a letter to the court that he accepted responsibility for the offence.

Updated: 17:34 Thursday, March 08, 2001