Wayne Rooney has been banned from driving for two years and ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to drink-driving.<\/p>\n
The Everton striker, 31, was given a 12-month community order as he was sentenced at Stockport Magistrates’ Court this morning.<\/p>\n
A judge told the \u00a3160,000-a-week footballer that a significant fine would have no punitive effect, and the court heard he has been fined two weeks’ salary by Everton.<\/p>\n
Rooney was also ordered to pay costs of \u00a385 and a victim surcharge of \u00a385 after admitting to being three times over the drink-drive limit while driving a car belonging to ‘party girl’ Laura Simpson.<\/p>\n
The former England captain’s pregnant wife Coleen and their three sons were on holiday in Majorca at the time.<\/p>\n
Before he was sentenced, Rooney’s lawyer argued that he shouldn’t be given a sentence ordering him to complete unpaid work in the community.<\/p>\n
Michael Rainford, defending, said Rooney was not looking to shirk his punishment and he would complete a community order if he was given one.<\/p>\n
But he said Rooney was already doing a large amount of work through charity in the community.<\/p>\n
He described Rooney’s charity work, saying he worked with Alder Hey hospital, Claire House children’s hospice, the NSPCC, his own foundation, the Manchester United Foundation and Everton in the Community.<\/p>\n
Mr Rainford told the court: “He is not somebody who pays lip service to the charities as so many often do. This is somebody who is actually hands on with the work he carries out.<\/p>\n
“It is something that is very close to his heart.<\/p>\n
“I think perhaps a lot of people are not aware of it. It is not something he shouts from the rooftops. He just gets on with it.”<\/p>\n
Mr Rainford said it would not be necessary to pass a community sentence, adding: \u201cI would ask the court to deal with him today by way of disqualification and financial penalty.\u201d<\/p>\n
The judge disagreed, giving the footballer a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work.<\/p>\n
District Judge John Temperley told him: “I’m not convinced that even a very high level fine will have the same punitive effect a community order will.”<\/p>\n
Rooney’s two-year driving ban will be reduced by 24 weeks if he completes a specialist driving court by February 2, 2019.<\/p>\n
The court also heard that\u00a0Everton will fine Rooney,\u00a0who earns in the region of \u00a3160,000 a week, two weeks’ salary – or about \u00a3320,000.<\/p>\n
The footballer broke his silence following the hearing,\u00a0admitting he “has let his family down”.<\/p>\n
His marriage was plunged into crisis after he was arrested at the wheel of Simpson’s black Volkswagen Beetle at 2am on September 1 in Wilmslow, Cheshire, after meeting her at a bar.<\/p>\n
Rooney has been married to his high-school sweetheart since 2008. Mrs Rooney recently announced she is pregnant with their fourth child.<\/p>\n
He said in a statement: “Following today’s court hearing I want publicly to apologise for my unforgivable lack of judgement in driving while over the legal limit. It was completely wrong.<\/p>\n
“I have already said sorry to my family, my manager and chairman and everyone at Everton FC.<\/p>\n
“Now I want to apologise to all the fans and everyone else who has followed and supported me throughout my career.<\/p>\n
“Of course I accept the sentence of the court and hope that I can make some amends through my community service.”<\/p>\n
That statement was released to the media\u00a0and then published on his official website after he pleaded guilty and was sentenced.<\/p>\n
The court heard that Rooney’s breath reading was 104 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of blood when he was pulled over. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.<\/p>\n
He was arrested and bailed to appear in court today.<\/p>\n
Kate Gaskell, prosecuting, said a police officer on patrol was on duty in Altrincham Road, Wilmslow at 2.10am when they noticed the rear tail-light of a Beetle on the left hand side had gone out.<\/p>\n
She said the officer intended to follow the vehicle but it pulled over with Rooney seen to be at the wheel with a female in the front passenger seat.<\/p>\n
Ms Gaskell said the footballer provided a positive roadside breath test before he was taken to a police station where the reading was confirmed.<\/p>\n
The court heard that Rooney currently had three points on his driving licence for a speeding offence on August 24 2016.<\/p>\n
Mr Rainford said his client accepted the facts of the prosecution case in full.<\/p>\n
He said the Everton striker voluntarily stopped the car but an aggravating factor was that there was a female passenger in the Beetle.<\/p>\n
He added: “Upon stopping and speaking to the police officer he was fully co-operative and compliant both at the roadside and also at the police station later on, to the extent that the officers who dealt with Mr Rooney said he was the perfect gentleman.<\/p>\n
“What I would say, through me, Wayne Rooney wishes to express his genuine remorse for what was a terrible mistake, a terrible error of judgment on his part that evening.”<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: Mirror UK<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Wayne Rooney has been banned from driving for two years and ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work after pleading guilty to drink-driving. The Everton striker, 31, was given a 12-month community order as he was sentenced at Stockport Magistrates’ Court this morning. A judge told the \u00a3160,000-a-week footballer that a significant fine would […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[142],"tags":[11200,11201,11202],"yoast_head":"\n