Ex-Premier League Star Jailed for Cocaine Binge and Dangerous Driving
A former top-flight footballer has been sentenced to prison and banned from the roads for five years after a high-speed drug-fuelled chase through Dublin. The 36-year-old, once a Premier League player, was caught with cocaine worth nearly €4,000 and was over the alcohol limit behind the wheel.
Wild Pursuit Through Dublin
On January 6, 2023, the ex-footballer led Gardaí on a ten-minute chase, hitting speeds of up to 160 km/h while running red lights and nearly crashing into another car. The reckless joyride only ended when he abandoned his vehicle at Phoenix Park gates.
“He drove around 140 km/h through Ballyfermot village,” Garda Radoslaw Konczewski testified. A search of the car uncovered €3,700 worth of cocaine hidden inside a sock stuffed in the air vent.
Guilty on Multiple Counts
The former player pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply, dangerous driving, drunk driving, and driving without insurance or a valid license. He also admitted to possessing 86 illegal street tablets in south Co Dublin.
Defence lawyer Lorraine Stephens urged the court to show leniency, revealing the ex-footballer’s long battle with addiction, which worsened after his professional career ended.
Judge Delivers Hard-Hitting Verdict
Judge Grainne Malone said the defendant faced up to two years behind bars but reduced the sentence due to his guilty pleas. However, no part of the jail time was suspended, citing the seriousness of the offences and a recent failed drug test.
Despite the jail term, he was released on bail after paying €1,000 pending an appeal.
Player’s Troubled Past
The former Arsenal youth and sunderland/" title="Sunderland" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Sunderland player later enjoyed success with Celtic. But his court record includes a 2013 assault conviction, repeated failures to appear in court, and prior custody in another jurisdiction.
