Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish BANNED from driving, fined £82k for car crash in March

Aston Villa talisman Jack Grealish has been handed a nine-month driving ban along with a fine of £82,000 for crashing his Range Rover during the first lockdown in March. The English midfielder was sentenced at the Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of careless driving this year. Prior to the convictions, Grealish already had six points on his licence for a speeding offence in 2018.

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Jack Grealish banned from driving: Villa skipper "deeply ashamed" of his actions

On Tuesday, Jack Grealish was sentenced at the Birmingham Magistrates' Court after previously admitting to two counts of reckless driving this year. The first one was linked to an incident during the first coronavirus lockdown in March when his £80,000 Range Rover bumped into two parked vehicles in the civil parish of Dickens Heath in Solihull, West Midlands. The incident took place on March 29, less than 24 hours after he had posted a video on Twitter urging fans to follow the lockdown rules and stay at home.

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A witness claimed that Grealish smelled of “intoxicating liquor” and was slurring his words immediately after the crash while present at the scene. He later apologised for "stupidly agreeing" to go to a friend's house.

Grealish also pleaded guilty to a separate offence of careless driving after prosecutors said that an unmarked police car spotted him driving at more than 90mph along the M42, near Villa's training ground, at “close to an intimidating distance” on 18 October. The 25-year-old admitted that he was "deeply ashamed" of his actions. However, Judge John Bristow handed Grealish a nine-month ban from driving. 

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Jack Grealish fined for crashing his Range Rover

Along with his driving ban, Grealish was ordered to pay costs of £220 and a victim surcharge of £181, taking his total in costs and fines to £82,900 – payable within seven days. The England international will have to apply for a new license once his ban ends. 

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Fans on social media were quick to mock Grealish over his driving ban. On Twitter, one wrote, "Grealish may have more points on his licence than Villa right now" while another added, "Grealish probably taking out his frustrations of being the most-tackled player on those poor vehicles". A third wrote, "Hope to see Grealish on the bus with me for the next nine months when I travel to work". 

Grealish has scored six goals and racked up five assists in all competitions this season. The Villans have enjoyed a great start to the Premier League this season as they currently sit in 11th place on the table, seven points behind leaders Spurs and Liverpool, with two games in hand.

Image Credits - Jack Grealish Instagram