Bring back corporal punishment, says Mr Loophole

CELEBRITY defence lawyer Nick Freeman shocked students by calling on the Government to bring back corporal punishment.

The solicitor said the move would install a “little bit of fear” into young troublemakers.

Mr Freeman, who has defended celebrities including footballer David Beckham and supermodel Caprice, was questioned by Ashton-on-Mersey School students about youth offending.

He said: “I would introduce corporal punishment as we need a little more discipline, a little more respect. When I was a young lad, we got beaten, we all hated it.”

Mr Freeman, who lives in Mere, Cheshire, said a stricter legal system was also necessary because too often the police and prosecution lawyers were ‘sloppy’, allowing him to find the loopholes in the law.

At the student press conference at MediaCityUK, he labelled himself a “hypocrite” because – despite the view that everyone is entitled to a defence - he would not represent terrorists, paedophiles and people who hurt animals.

Mr Freeman said: “We should defend everyone but I’m not keen on paedophiles or people who are cruel to animals… I say thank you very much, I’m very busy, go elsewhere, which is totally wrong.

“I’m not being paid by the state, I’m paid privately so I can make the choice of whether I defend or not.”

Mr Freeman visited Salford University’s MediaCityUK building to promote his new book “The Art of The Loophole, Making the Law Work for You,” which sums up his approach to the law.

He earned the nickname Mr Loophole after helping a string of celebrity clients beat motoring charges.

His clients have included Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, snooker champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and cricketer Andrew Flintoff.