Ex-England defender Cole banned from driving for six months

Former England footballer Ashley Cole has been banned from driving for six months and handed a £3,340 fine over driving offences.

Cole did not attend Liverpool Magistrates' Court for the hearing, but pleaded guilty via his lawyers to two offences of speeding and one of failing to provide information about a driver.

The 42-year-old committed the offences in Liverpool in 2022 and 2023.

Cole did not "put forward any reasons why he should not be disqualified".

Vincent Yip, prosecuting, said the first speeding offence occurred on 11 March 2022 at 16:13 GMT on Leeds Street at the junction with Vauxhall Road in the city centre.

Cole's Mercedes was clocked travelling at 40mph on a road with a 30mph limit.

The second speeding offence took place at 08:15 on 11 January this year in a different Mercedes, a GLS model, on Garston Way at the junction with Dock Road. The road has a 30mph limit and he was recorded as travelling at 41mph.

Cole is currently assistant manager of the England Under-21 team and was an Everton coach under former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard between February 2022 and January 2023.

Mr Yip said the charge of failing to furnish information on 12 January this year had been triggered by a speeding car going through a speed camera on 11 December 2022.

It was not known who was driving and Cole, of Guildford Road in Leatherhead, Surrey, was the registered owner of the vehicle but failed to respond to a notice asking for information about the driver.

District Judge Timothy Bosworth said Cole, who was not legally represented in court, already had three points on his driving licence.

As the failing to provide information charge carries a mandatory six points and the speeding three points each, he reached more than 12 points.

"As Mr Cole's lawyers indicate he is well aware of this and does not seek to put forward any reasons why he should not be disqualified," the judge said.

He banned Cole for six months and imposed £850 fines for each offence plus costs totalling £790.

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