Leeds player in drink-drive ban

Delph has come through the Leeds academy

Leeds United midfielder Fabian Delph has been banned from driving for 18 months and fined £1,400 after admitting a drinking and driving offence.

The 19-year-old from Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, was arrested in Rothwell, Leeds on 23 December and appeared at Leeds Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Delph was nearly twice the legal limit when stopped by police.

In mitigation, his lawyer said the player was a young man from a difficult background who was "truly sorry".

The court heard the teenager was stopped by police after he was seen driving a black Vauxhall Astra, containing four passengers, at "considerable speed".

'Truly sorry'

He was breath-tested and found to have 66 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath - nearly twice the legal limit.

Richard Manning, representing Delph, told the court the teenager, who was a newly-qualified driver, was "truly sorry" for what he had done.

Mr Manning said: "Fabian comes from a difficult and disadvantaged background.

"He knows that he is a role model to young people and is truly sorry."

Delph was ordered to pay £60 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge and was told his ban would be reduced if he attended a rehabilitation course.

Delph was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, made his debut for Leeds United's first team in 2007 at the age of 17 and signed a four-year contract with the club last September.

He represented England Under-19s last summer and won his first Under-21s cap against the Czech Republic in November.