Julian Dugdale ordered to carry out unpaid work (Image: Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)
A tech tycoon once tipped as ‘the next Elon Musk’ has been ordered to carry out unpaid work after being caught red-handed behind the wheel – when ignoring a road ban. Inventor Julian Dugdale, 56 – the CEO of Stockport based Touchguard UK – was spotted illegally driving a VW Golf just hours after a police morning briefing warned officers to be on the look-out for him flouting his previous ban.
Crewe Magistrates Court heard the father-of-one failed to stop when eagle-eyed officer saw him driving later that day – and despite confronting him on his driveway he dashed into his home and refused to answer the door. JPs heard Dugdale – who regularly posts images of himself on luxury holidays or with Aston Martin and Porsche dream cars – claimed he was victim of mistaken identity and that a Polish builder he hired called James was actually driving.
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Julian Dugdale is a tech tycoon but denies he was at the wheel (Image: Julian Dugdale/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)
But Dugdale – whose firm produces antimicrobial coating solutions and once likened to Tesla boss Musk after winning a legal trademark victory in 2021 – was convicted of driving while disqualified and failing to give details.
He was ordered to complete 80 hours unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for six months – although that ban was suspended, pending a future appeal hearing.
A separate charge against him of drug driving in his Range Rover was dismissed at an earlier hearing after no evidence was offered.
The court heard Dugdale had earlier been banned from driving for 16 months in November 2022 for undisclosed motoring offences.
But in the weeks before that ban was due to expire in May 2024, police received “intelligence” he was driving around in a rented VW Golf and maybe “under the influence of cocaine.”
On the morning of April 9th 2024, following a briefing in which officers were reminded to keep a lookout for Dugdale, PC Martin from Cheshire Police spotted the VW Golf driving near Knutsford.
The officer told the court: “We received information that Mr Dugdale was driving the vehicle and was disqualified at a briefing in the morning.
“We were told that he was disqualified and was potentially driving under the influence of cocaine. I specifically looked at the custody photo of Mr Dugdale immediately after the briefing and later recognised the first letters of the registration.
“I started following it and activated the blue lights. But the driver just continued in a normal manner. I activated my sirens but he still carried on driving.
“The car went by some terraced houses and straight away the defendant got out of the vehicle. I saw it was Mr Dugdale. I said, ‘What are you doing? Why have you not stopped?’ He said, ‘Sorry, I did not see you.’
“I said ‘Wait there a sec’ as my radio was activated, one of my colleagues was asking where I was. At that point he just walked straight into the building and closes the door.
“I knocked at the door trying to get him to come back. The door was locked. He did not come out.”
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PC Martin said he had powers to force entry into the building but so confident the driver was Dugdale he did not deem it necessary. He also saw the businessman’s Range Rover on the driveway
Dugdale said: “We had some construction workers in and the reason why there is a connection with me and the VW Golf is they needed transport to get workers to the site and to get materials.
“I employed a driver for the whole time I was banned and the vehicle had been stopped several times.
“One of the workers that had the Golf that Friday drove me to Knutsford so I could get food from Waitrose for them while they were doing the property up. I gave the shopping to him then I went to Gail’s (bakery).
“I ordered my breakfast there and had some porridge and fruits and a coffee. I even took a screenshot to say I have got a healthy breakfast.”
When asked during his trial if he was driving the vehicle he said: “No, I promise you. There has been a mistake there.’
“Why, when I was due to get my licence back in three weeks, on God’s green earth would I drive that car when I had paid for insurance and employed a driver for the whole time I was banned.”
When asked if he could remember the builder who drove him, he said: “I think he was James. He was Polish.”
When asked if he had spoken to ”James” he said: “He disappeared. Bit of a rogue builder. He was an immigrant.”
After he was convicted Dugdale confirmed he would appeal and added: “I have a witness to say that I was in Gail’s.”