The footballer was not facing a ban for the individual offence of driving with no insurance. As has been pointed out for a first offence (of this type) this normally attracts 6 penalty points rather than a ban. The magistrates awarded him just such a penalty.
He was facing disqualification under the totting up rules. He already had nine points on his licence and the latest lot meant he had accumulated twelve within three years. He was therefore facing a totting up ban.
To avoid such a ban you can argue �exceptional hardship� which he successfully did. Note that this is different to arguing �special reasons�, which is put forward to avoid points or a ban for a single offence, as done by David Beckham. �Special reasons� must relate to the offence itself (as with Beckham). Exceptional hardship can only be argued to counter a totting up ban and relates to the circumstances the driver (or others who may be dependent upon him driving) will find themselves.
Loss of the driver�s own employment is not normally sufficient to avoid a ban. The magistrates considered that preventing Barnes from driving would cause exceptional hardship to the people on whose behalf he carries out work.
The fifteen points remain on his licence. One more offence which attracts points (before any of the current ones expire) will mean he faces a totting up ban again and he will not be able to use the same argument within three years.
Successful "exceptional hardship" arguments are heard all the time in magistrates' courts. They are all examined individually and it is the view of the Bench on the day that holds sway. Barnes has not received any preferential treatment because of who he is, but he may have employed a decent solicitor - as do most of those who succeed with what is quite a difficult argument .