Top Gear's Falklands number plate row was provoked deliberately, Argentine judge rules

Judge Maria Cristina Barrionuevo rejected the BBC’s claims that the now infamous licence plate on Mr Clarkson’s Porsche was nothing more than an “unfortunate coincidence”.

Her ruling comes after a particularly worrisome period for Mr Clarkson. Following an alleged altercation with a BBC producer, the often controversial presenter left the long-running show, throwing the future of the series into doubt. The presenter and Sunday Times columnist has also recently spoken of his health scares.

The offending licence plates

In her report, released earlier this week, Judge Barrionuevo wrote that the Top Gear team acted with the intention of “provoking people”.

"The reaction of locals to such an offensive action was to be expected," she added.

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Mr Clarkson, 55, and his Top Gear colleagues James May and Richard Hammond, were given a police escort from the South American country after angry crowds violently threatened the presenters in October last year.