AN ill-timed mobile phone conversation has cost North-East Olympic boxer Bradley Saunders £600.

A police community support officer on foot patrol reported seeing Saunders using the phone in his car in Hawthorn Road, Sedgefield, County Durham, at 3.40pm, on September 26, last year.

Saunders, 23, of Cragside, Sedgefield, denied using the phone while driving, but was convicted by magistrates in Newton Aycliffe, in March. He was fined £250 and given three penalty points, but appealed.

Support officer Gavin Rutter told the appeal at Durham Crown Court yesterday: “He had what looked like a hand-held telephone to his ear and I could see his lips moving.”

He said neither Saunders or his two passengers were wearing seat belts and noted it in his pocket book.

Saunders agreed there were three passengers and no one was wearing seat belts, he denied using the phone.

But the appeal was dismissed and the hearing ordered the original fine should remain, and ordered Saunders to pay £350 to cover the cost of the appeal.

■ Saunders, who reached the second round for Great Britain in the Beijing Olympics last summer, was in court days after winning the EU amateur light-welterweight title.