Former England international footballer Ashley Cole banned from the road and fined £3k over string of driving offences
FORMER England international footballer Ashley Cole has been banned from the road and fined £3,000 over a string of driving offences.
The star pleaded guilty to two speeding charges and one count of failing to provide information about a driver.
A judge at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court fined Cole £3,340 and banned him from driving for six months.
Former Arsenal and Chelsea star Cole skipped court, with his guilty pleas entered through his lawyers.
District Judge Timothy Bosworth said “bearing in mind his means” it was fitting that Cole paid the maximum fine of £1,000 for each offence.
Cole had faced two other charges of failing to provide information about a driver – but they were dismissed after the prosecution formally offered no evidence.
Prosecutor Vincent Yip said that on March 11 last year Cole drove his Mercedes at 40mph down Leeds Street in Liverpool, which has a 30mph speed limit.
On January 11 this year he drove a different Mercedes at 41mph down Garston Way, which has the same limit.
Cole also failed to respond to a notice asking who was driving speeding car registered to him which went past a camera on December 11 last year.
The judge said that Cole, currently the assistant manager of the England under-21 side, already had three points on his licence – with the new offences “totting up” more than 12 points.
DJ Bosworth said: “As Mr Cole’s lawyers indicate, he is well aware of this – and does not seek to put forward any reasons why he should not be disqualified and being disqualified in absence.”
He added that there was no requirement for Cole to attend proceedings – and that “no criticism attaches to him not being here today”.