Real Madrid's speeding James Rodríguez did not stop for police as he 'feared being kidnapped'

A REAL Madrid FC player who did not stop for the police because he 'thought he was going to be kidnapped' has been fined €10,400.

James Rodríguez (pictured) will also face a hefty sanction for speeding, given that he was driving at double the limit.

The 24-year-old Colombian has just received the fine notice two months after police tried to pull him over on New Year's Day when he was seen driving at 200 kilometres per hour (124mph) in a 100-kilometre (62mph) limit on his way to a training session along the M-40 outer Madrid motorway.

Rodríguez did not stop despite the flashing lights and sirens of the unmarked police car, and was followed to the training pitch in his Audi R8.

The young player said he had not heard the police sirens above the music in his car, and had assumed the patrol vehicle was that of an ordinary civilian.

Because of that, he did not stop as he thought the driver was trying to kidnap him.

Whilst carjackings, or highway kidnaps, are extremely rare in Spain, they are rife in Colombia, where Rodríguez comes from.

He can pay the fine within a fortnight at half the amount, or he can appeal within this time – but would need to pay the full amount if this appeal failed.

The average Spanish driver would not normally be fined as much as €10,400 for failing to stop for a police car, but as was the case with Barça FC's Gerard Piqué and Rodríguez's team mate Karim Benzema, the amount of the sanction was set to reflect their wages.

In Rodríguez's case, this is around €7.6 million per annum.

Benzema was fined €18,000 and lost his licence for eight months after he was caught driving at 195 kilometres per hour (121mph) four years ago.