Former England forward Raheem Sterling was seen inhaling from a balloon while driving his Lamborghini on the motorway in rush hour before crashing his car into a metal gate, a court has heard.
asserted
court → see → gate
A driver called police “shocked” by what he saw and another said she had “genuine concerns the driver might kill someone” by the way he was driving.
Police body worn footage of Sterling’s arrest at 9.15am shows him in the car with two canisters on his lap as the officer tells him: “You can put that down.”
The 31-year-old pleaded guilty at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on the M25, the M3, the A327 and Minley Road before he crashed on the morning of May 28.
uncertain
he → call → May
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Sterling also admitted possession of six nitrous oxide cannisters for wrongful inhalation, a class C drug, and failing to provide a specimen.
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Sterling → read → specimen
Prosecutor Simon Jones told the court between 7.45am and 8.52am a number of calls were made about the black sports car in the manner it was being driven.
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it → tell → manner
Witness Christopher Jennings on the M25 called 999 at 7.49am after he was driving in parallel to Sterling’s car and “he was shocked by what he saw”, Mr Jones said, and made clear “he sighted the defendant inhaling from the balloon”.
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defendant → call → balloon
Fiona Jennings, another witness on the M3 southbound at around 8.45am, said she saw a black Lamborghini ahead of her whose driving she described as “absolutely horrendous” and “swerving in and out of lanes”, the court heard.
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court → say → lanes
“She had genuine concerns the driver might kill someone,” Mr Jones said.
uncertain
Jones → have → someone
“She looked across, initially thought an air bag was in play, then realised in fact it was a large white inflated balloon and neck of balloon was in mouth of the driver.”
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neck → look → driver
Sterling had come off junction 4a at the M3 before doing a loop on the A327 and, just after a roundabout, he came off the road.
The vehicle veered off the carriageway and “must have collided with either the sign or metal gate”, which caused “substantial” damage to his car and all four wheels which prevented him from driving further, the court heard.
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court → come → him
Sterling was taken to Basingstoke police investigation centre by officers and during the process he disclosed to custody staff “he had a problem with nitrous oxide”, Mr Jones said.
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Jones → take → oxide
He complied to do an impairment test but for a blood sample, Sterling asked to obtain legal advice before making a decision, Mr Jones said.
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Jones → comply → decision
But in the police sergeant’s view “he was deliberately failing to provide a clear answer”.
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he → fail → answer
Later, Sterling was interviewed by police with legal representation present where he accepted he had been the driver and provided no comment answers to the driving.
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he → interview → driving
Defending Sterling, Jason Bartfeld KC said there is not a dispute this is a “top category case” because of prolonged driving and “at times” serious impairment which would have been short periods within the driving.
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which → defend → driving
But the defence does not accept the damage to the car was serious and said there was “confusion” over the failure to provide a specimen.
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damage → accept → specimen
He asked for the magistrates’ court to continue to deal with the case.
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court → ask → case
District Judge Kirsty Allman ordered for a pre-sentence report to be carried out before a next hearing on November 25 where she will determine whether to sentence at the magistrates’ court or send it to crown court.
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she → order → court
Sterling, of London, left the courtroom on unconditional bail and was handed an interim disqualification from driving from Tuesday.
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Sterling → leave → Tuesday
Sterling, who grew up in London close to Wembley stadium, was one of England’s star players while playing first for Liverpool, then moving to Manchester City in 2015 where he won won four Premier League titles, five League Cups and the FA Cup in 2019.
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he → grow → 2019
He left for Chelsea in 2022 but after falling out of favour spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Arsenal.
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He → leave → Arsenal
After leaving Stamford Bridge, Sterling joined Dutch club Feyenoord on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
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Sterling → leave → season
In the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Sterling was made an MBE for services to racial equality in sport after fronting anti-racism and discrimination campaigns and speaking out strongly against racism on and off the pitch for several years.
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Sterling → make → years
It came amid controversy over England fans booing players taking the knee at matches as a gesture against intolerance.
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players → come → intolerance
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