Former Portsmouth FC assistant manager Kevin Bond in court - found not guilty of using phone while driving

The coach, who was Harry Redknapp’s right-hand man in the 2005/2006 season, was cleared of the allegation. Mr Bond, 66, who announced his departure from Bristol Rovers this week, was acquitted of not being in proper control while driving a grey Land Rover in Southampton on December 20, 2022.

During a short trial at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Friday (May 10), the court heard that a police staff investigator had seen the driver looking down and having a dark item in their left hand while he was trying to cross the road. The former Southend manager said it could have been his glasses case or a coffee and that he uses hands-free only in both the cars he drives.

He told the magistrates: “I do an awful lot of driving in my car, I never hold my phone in my hand in my car. I have car play in my car, I have a cradle which my phone sits in. I only know I wasn’t holding a mobile phone, I was in control of the car, if I did look down it would be a moment, but that would have been it.”

Mr Bond, of Chilworth, Southampton, also told the court the vehicle was shared with other people and he could not recall where he was that day but that he accepted responsibility that he was the driver. The magistrates told the football boss he was free to go, adding: “Because of the evidence and credible evidence you have [given], we find you not guilty.”

The coach had three separate spells at Pompey, working firstly alongside Alan Ball and also with Kenny Jackett in a scouting capacity. He has enjoyed a strong working relationship with Harry Redknapp, working in tandem with him at Southampton, Spurs, QPR and Birmingham.