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Footballer lands ‘biggest ever’ drink driving fine
Teetotal Manchester City footballer Yaya Toure has been fined £54,000 (US$68k), the “biggest” drink driving fine in British history, after “unintentionally” drinking brandy mixed with Diet Coke at a party.
The court acknowledged that Toure had not “intentionally consumed alcohol”
Toure, a devout Muslim, pleaded guilty to drink driving in court this week, but said he had not “intentionally consumed alcohol”.
The midfielder does not drink alcohol for religious reasons, and is known to reject bottles of Champagne when he is recognised as ‘man of the match’.
Barkingside Magistrates Court said Toure had an alcohol reading of 75 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath when he was pulled over in Dagenham, east London, on November 28 – more than twice England’s legal limit of 35 micrograms.
Though Toure did not challenge the charge as he was “above the permitted limit”, he told the the judge he did not realise that the jug from which he was drinking Diet Coke also contained brandy.
Though the court accepted Toure had not intended to drink alcohol, he was fined £54,000 – equivalent to one week’s wages – and banned from driving for 18 months. The judge said he would have fined the footballer £81,000, but gave him credit for his guilty plea.
Toure announced his conviction on his website and apologised to fans.
He said: “Over the last two weeks there has been some confusion as to why I was charged with drink driving, as it is well known that I am a Muslim and do not drink.
“As I was above the permitted limit when tested on the night, I decided not to challenge the charge. However, it was important to me that I told the court that I had not intentionally consumed alcohol.
“Drink driving is a serious crime and even though I was not intentionally consuming alcohol I accept the ban and fine and I would like to apologise for this situation.”
As well as the fine, Toure was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £170 victim surcharge.
He agreed to take a drink-drive rehabilitation scheme course which will reduce his ban by 18 weeks.