Spurs footballer gets driving ban

David Bentley joined Tottenham from Blackburn in the summer of 2008

Premier League and England footballer David Bentley has been banned from driving for a year after admitting drinking and driving.

The Tottenham Hotspur player crashed his Porsche into a lamppost at Northaw, Hertfordshire, after drinking four pints and two spirit measures at a gig.

The 24-year-old winger pleaded guilty when he appeared at St Albans Magistrates' Court.

The footballer, from Cuffley, was also fined £600.

Police officers were called to the crash on Judges Hill early in the morning of 13 August.

They found Bentley trying to move his car out of the road.

He told police he had parked at the railway station at Potters Bar and was going to take a taxi home after the gig.

'Severe consequences'

He then decided to drive because he did not want to leave his car in the car park.

Bentley's lawyer, Adam Davis, told the court the footballer had already suffered severe consequences of the incident.

Spurs had fined him two weeks wages, he had lost a commercial contract with a sportswear company and adverse press coverage of the incident had been distressing for him and his family.

"These are significant sums of money he's lost as a consequence of this incident," he said.

District Judge Caroline Mellanby said she gave the footballer full credit for his guilty plea and was prepared to offer him a three-month deduction from his driving ban if he attended a drink-driving rehabilitation course.

Bentley started his career with Arsenal and spent two seasons on loan with Norwich City and Blackburn Rovers.

He made his full international debut against Israel in September 2007 and joined Tottenham from Blackburn in 2008.