By Tim Parsons
Wayne Rooney’s two year driving ban by the courts will teach him a lesson, he shouldn’t have needed to learn as a grown up rich footballer. The Everton ace, who has embarrassed his poor wife before when caught with a prostitute years ago, and then exposed for offering a television presenter money for a threesome, has now been taken off the road. He was also ordered to do 100 hours of community service for drink driving. Rooney will not be able to drive any of his top of the range motors for at least two years, whilst he watches his fellow football pals cruise or speed away in their affluent cars.
FOOLISH
Rooney foolishly drove party animal, Laura Simpson, in her black Volkswagen Beetle during the early hours of September 1st, after a night out clubbing on September 1st, 2017. His wife was away on holiday, pregnant with their fourth child at the time Rooney was caught being a bad boy. He was 3 times over the limit when he was pulled up by cops, and is likely to be fined in the region of £320,000 by his club, according to his lawyer.
Rooney was found to have 104 microgrammes of alcohol in every 100ml of his breath, exceeding the limit of 35 microgrammes.
COST
The biggest cost to his latest misdemeanour may come in huge divorce costs to Coleen Rooney, who has endured the embarrassment of her husband’s conduct on enough occasions to drive her out of the marriage.
On the day of the revelation, Coleen stayed with her parents where she would drown her sorrows in private, and later complained of being followed by photographers when she was with her children.
The potential loss of his marriage on top of the hefty bill of about half his financial worth will be the biggest punishment that could affect him for his behaviour.
Rooney’s legal team told the judge at Stockport Magistrates’ Court to consider charity work Rooney does, much of which has never been publicised. His team did not go into detail about precisely what contribution Rooney makes to the charities he is associated with. imposing a community order because of the charity However, Judge John Temperley said he was “not convinced” that imposing a large fine “would have the same effect”.
He said: “This was a serious offence that you admitted. You were driving a motor vehicle nearly three times the limit.
“You were carrying a passenger, which is an aggravating factor.”
“You are a young man with no similar previous convictions.
“I have read a bundle of character references handed in on your behalf and they speak very highly of you as a person. I accept your remorse is genuine.”
Rooney’s solicitor, Michael Rainford, said in court: “Wayne Rooney wishes to express his genuine remorse for what was a terrible mistake, a terrible error of judgement on his part that evening..
Rooney later apologised to his army of twitter followers in a statement that read: “Following today’s court hearing I want publicly to apologise for my unforgivable lack of judgement in driving while over the legal limit. It was completely wrong.
“I have already said sorry to my family, my manager and chairman and everyone at Everton FC. Now I want to apologise to all the fans and everyone else who has followed and supported me throughout my career.
“Of course I accept the sentence of the court and hope that I can make some amends through my community service.”