Top Gear-loving magistrate acquits speedster

A magistrate who admitted being a fan of the "Top Gear" motoring show has acquitted a Lamborghini-driving mechanic of speeding over a lack of evidence, reports said on Thursday.

Magistrate Michael Wheeler disputed a policeman's evidence that he could gauge the 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo was topping 155 kilometres (96 miles) per hour on a Perth highway, as he followed in a Ford Falcon patrol car.

"With no disrespect to the Ford Falcon could it cut the mustard with the Lamborghini being driven by the accused?" he said, according to AAP news agency. "It couldn't even catch my car, in all honesty."

Senior Constable Michael Brent had told Perth Magistrates Court he reached speeds of 160 kilometres per hour as he tried to keep up with the bright yellow supercar mechanic Leone Antonino Magistro, 53, was driving to a workshop.

But Wheeler said the "bog standard" police car was between 100 and 200 metres (yards) behind, making it impossible to "guesstimate" the Lamborghini's speed.

Before handing down his judgment, Wheeler told the court he was a keen car enthusiast and had watched an edition of the BBC's "Top Gear" featuring the Gallardo a day before the hearing.

"I have to confess, I'm a Top Gear tragic and know so much useless information about (the 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo) I have to disregard," he said.

"I know (that) in 2006 Top Gear named the Lamborghini Gallardo as the dream car of the year. Jeremy Clarkson bought one, in fact, in 2006," he added, referring to Top Gear's host.

Wheeler awarded Magistro A$18,000 ($17,000) in costs, and commented that Brent would have expected to be given a faster police car when he emigrated from Britain.

"He would have thought he'd never find himself driving a bog standard Ford Falcon when he came to Australia but I suppose that's what bean counters do," he said.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.