FORMER England captain Paul Ince has been banned from driving after pleading guilty to a drink driving offence.
The 57-year-old was arrested after a black Range Rover crashed in Cheshire on June 28 close to Heswall Golf Club.
PAFormer England captain Paul Ince had a selfie taken as he arrived at court[/caption]
SplashInce pleaded guilty to drink driving at Chester Magistrates’ Court[/caption]
PAThe star was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £7,085[/caption]
Ince admitted to driving his black Range Rover while over the limit last month.
He has now been disqualified from driving for 12 months at Chester Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to drink-driving.
The ex-Prem star was also ordered to pay £7,085 today.
District Judge Jack McGarva told Ince: “The message has got to be if you’re going to drive you don’t drink at all.”
Arriving at court, Ince signed an autograph with a fan and posed for a selfie with another.
The former West Ham, Manchester United, Inter Milan and Liverpool midfielder won 53 caps for his country.
After retiring, Ince moved into management, most recently working for Reading between 2022 and 2023.
Ince had a reading of 49 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when he was stopped by police after driving on Chester High Road, the court heard.
Nigel Jones, prosecuting, said: “On the day in question, the defendant was witnessed by an off-duty police officer driving a vehicle perceived to be swerving across the road.”
He said the car swerved across the central reservation, hitting bollards and causing two tyres to burst.
The car then pulled into a petrol station where police officers attended.
Frank Rogers, defending, said: “My client finds himself today facing the huge impact of a ban, but he accepts he only has himself to blame for that.
“He misjudged the fact he believed at the time he would be under the limit.”
Mr Rogers said Ince had been at Heswall Golf Club for a competition and had not eaten before having two drinks in the clubhouse.
He said: “He felt fine to drive, of course we now know that he shouldn’t have done.”
Mr Rogers said that as he was driving home, Ince approached a roundabout at about 20mph when his phone slipped and he instinctively reached for it and veered the car, clipping the kerb.
He said: “The vehicle didn’t collide with the bollards. He’s clipped both sides of the island, damaging tyres.”
Mr Rogers said an alert came up on the car about the tyre pressure and Ince pulled into a garage where he inspected the damage, called his wife and was about to call the Range Rover assist helpline when police arrived.
He added that the former footballer had been driving for 39 years and had three points on his licence.
Ince is a frequent visitor and supporter to the Future Youth Zone charity in Dagenham, where he grew up, and also supports Claire House Children’s Hospice in Wirral, he said.
Mr Rogers said Ince, of Quarry Road, Neston, wished to apologise to the court.
During his club career, Ince’s most successful spell as a player came at United under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ince joined Man United in 1989 and spent six glittering years at Old Trafford as he won two Premier League titles, two FA Cup trophies and the 1992 League Cup.
He was transferred to Inter Milan before returning to England to play for Liverpool.
Further stints at Middlesbrough and Wolves followed.
After successful spells in charge of Macclesfield and MK Dons, he went on to manage clubs.
His last role was as manager of Reading, a post he left in 2023.
PAFormer England captain Ince leaving court[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
