Chelsea Star Banned from Driving

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Mikel twice legal limit driving in Fulham Road

Chelsea footballer John Obi Mikel has been banned from driving for 15 months after admitting drink-driving at West London Magistrates' Court.

The footballer, who also plays for Nigeria, was arrested by police in Fulham Road, on January 24 after being found to be almost twice the legal limit.

Mr Mikel, 21, was stopped at 5.15 am by police officers who were suspicious of the way he was diriving his black Range Rover.

Prosecutor Fubhanur Chowdhury said: "The reason he was stopped is he was driving at speed. The officers became suspicious of the manner in which he was driving.

" They could smell alcohol on his breath. There were three attempts to provide a sample and the result was positive. He was arrested and taken to Fulham Police Station."

The court heard that the player had been out to dinner after watching his team play at Stamford Bridge and had drunk between four and five glasses of wine. He was found to have 66 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

District Judge Jeremy Coleman banned him from driving for 15 months and ordered him to pay £1,580. The footballer accepted the charges, but his solicitor said he would not undertake a drink-driving course to shorten the ban.

 

April 28, 2009