Newcastle United star Joelinton handed 12-month ban and £31,000 fine

Newcastle United star Joelinton, 26, is handed a 12-month ban and £31,000 fine after pleading guilty to drink-driving

• Joelinton pleaded guilty to drink-driving at Newcastle’s Magstrates Court today
• Newcastle United midfielder pulled over by police just after 1am on January 12

Newcastle United footballer Joelinton has been handed a 12 month ban from driving and was fined £31,085 after pleading guilty to drink-driving. 

The 26-year-old Premier League midfielder was stopped by police who spotted his 2022-plate Mercedes G wagon on Ponteland Road, Newcastle, at around 1.20am on January 12.

The Brazilian star has been fined less than a week’s wages after admitting drink driving.

He failed a breath test which showed he had 43mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath when the legal limit is 35mg.

Joelinton Cássio Apolinário de Lira of Ponteland, pcitured leaving court, was handed a 12 month ban from driving and was fined £31,085 after pleading guilty to drink-driving at Newcastle’s Magistrates court

The district judge fined him £29,000 and gave the footballer player a 12 month driving ban

District Judge Paul Currer fined him £29,000 and banned him from driving for 12 months, which will be reduced to nine months if he completes a rehabilitation course.  

The judge calculated the fine based on documents showing his weekly wage was £43,000. 

The player must also pay a £2,000 surcharge and £85 costs. 

Jonathan Stirland, prosecuting, told the court that officers spotted his car driving at speed near the football ground and requested the driver to stop. 

Joelinton was compliant with officers and told them he had drunk two glasses of wine earlier in the evening. 

The judge calculated the fine based on documents showing his weekly wage was £43,000

He failed a roadside breat test which recorded 50mg per 100ml 

His roadside breath test recoded 50mg per 100ml which reduced to 43mg in one of two subsequent tests at Forth Banks police station, the court heard. 

Geoffrey Forrester, defending, said: ‘He will be subject of disciplinary proceedings within the club once this process has concluded.’ 

District Judge Currer said he took into account Joelinton’s early guilty plea and compliance with officers, and he was convinced of the footballer’s remorse. 

But he warned Joelinton that drink driving was a serious offence. 

He told the player: ‘What is clear to me is you accept you have made a grave mistake and a significant error of judgment. 

‘You placed yourself in real jeopardy and it could have had disastrous consequences for the lives of others. 

‘I sincerely hope you have learned from this mistake and we don’t see you in this court again.’ 

His appearance at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court came less than 48 hours after he scored the only goal in the Magpies’ 1-0 over Southampton in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. 

Charged as Joelinton Cassio, and living in Ponteland, Northumberland, he wore a dark suit, white shirt and black tie, with shiny leather shoes, and was accompanied to court by a club security official. 

Nine reporters were in court to follow proceedings. Manager Eddie Howe kept faith with the player and did not drop him after police announced he had been charged with drink driving. 

The Brazilian has been a key part of the team’s success and they stand third in the table and are unbeaten in 15 Premier League games. 

What is the law on drink driving in Britain and how does it compare to other countries?

England and Wales has among the most lenient drink driving laws in Europe.

Motorists are allowed to have 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath or 107 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine. 

This does not translate into a fixed number of drinks as people of different ages, weights and alcohol tolerance process drink at different rates.

However, as a rule of thumb most drivers drinking would limit themselves to around one pint or one glass of wine.

But ministers have faced calls to change the law so that drivers are not allowed to consume any alcohol before they get behind the wheel – or at least far less.

In most other European countries, the limit is less, usually 50 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood3.

The alcohol limit for drivers in Scotland is lower than in the rest of the UK after they lowered it to 50 milligrammes of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of blood in December 2014. 

 

Source: Read Full Article