Veteran Actor Steve Berkoff Denies Careless Driving

Going Underground: Actor Berkoff

Actor Steven Berkoff has denied driving his VW Beetle without due care and attention when he struck a female pedestrian crossing the road in the busy West End.

The 75 year-old veteran of stage, screen and television appeared at City of London Magistrates' Court, where the case was adjourned for a trial on August 27.

Berkoff, of Narrow Street, Canary Wharf, who recently appeared in lavish  television costume drama 'The Borgias' and hit movie 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' told the court the pedestrian was to blame.

However, he did plead guilty to driving in Oxford Street last New Year's Eve without a valid licence because he was using a United States licence, which is only valid for one year and will be sentenced for the offence at the conclusion of his trial.

He was not represented in court and pleaded not guilty to driving without due care and attention, in Oxford Street at 6pm on December 31, last year by stopping and signalling for a pedestrian to cross, but then overtaking a small car and hitting the pedestrian's leg.

Berkoff told the court: "I was driving along Oxford Street, it is a very, very slow journey, a very busy shopping area and the car in front of me slowed down and stopped.

"I signalled and slowly overtook the car and as I was overtaking at five to seven miles per hour two women dashed across the road at enormous speed.

"I braked, but accidentally just nipped one of the ladies on the leg.

"Where they crossed the road, there was no zebra, no lights in busy Oxford Street.

"They thought they would make a quick dash. I think that they were totally responsible.

"My driving is reasonable and competent and in thirty years of driving I haven't had one accident, just maybe gone through traffic lights once or twice.

"My driving was competent and always is."

After initially denying the licence charge Berkoff admitted ignorance was no defence, adding: "I have an american licence as I have been living in LA, coming back and forth for many years and i was told that it was valid, but now I have been told it is valid for only one year.

"I am flying back and forth between La and London, a lot of my work takes place in America, where I was last week."

The prosecution will call one police officer and two civilian witnesses and Berkoff told the court he had no witnesses.