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Former England footballer Raheem Sterling has admitted dangerous driving on a motorway before he crashed a Lamborghini in May.
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he → publish → May
The 31-year-old, from Berkshire, also admitted possessing nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation, and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
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old → admit → analysis
Sterling, who appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court, was arrested after crashing near the M3 in Hampshire on the morning of 28 May.
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Sterling has 82 England caps, the last of which was won at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
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last → have → Qatar
The former England winger pleaded guilty to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on the M25, the M3, the A327 and Minley Road before he crashed.
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he → plead → M25
The court heard he strayed into the central reservation of the M3, exited at junction 4A, and veered off the A327, crashing into "roadside infrastructure" in a layby.
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he → hear → layby
The crash caused "substantial" damage to his car and all four wheels, which prevented him from driving further, the court heard.
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court → cause → him
Prosecutor Simon Jones said that between 7:45 and 8:52 police received a number of calls about dangerous driving on the two motorways.
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police → say → motorways
When police arrived on the scene of the collision Sterling was in the passenger seat of the car with two nitrous oxide canisters on his lap, the court was told.
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court → arrive → lap
Witnesses described seeing a Lamborghini driver inhaling from a white balloon.
Fiona Jennings, who saw the vehicle on the M3 at 8:45, said she looked across and thought that an airbag had inflated, but then realised it was an inflated balloon.
She told police she saw "absolutely horrendous driving" as the Lamborghini swerved in and out of lanes.
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"She had genuine concerns the driver might kill someone," Jones said.
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Sterling complied with a road side breath test, which was negative, and a preliminary drug test, which indicated no cannabis or cocaine.
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which → comply → cannabis
However, tests carried out at the Basingstoke police investigation centre deemed that he was impaired.
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he → carry → centre
During the process he disclosed to custody staff "he had a problem with nitrous oxide", Jones said.
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Jones → disclose → oxide
A sample of blood could only be taken with his consent, which he did not give.
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Sterling asked to obtain legal advice before making a decision, Mr Jones said, but in the police sergeant's view "he was deliberately failing to provide a clear answer".
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In the police interview that followed, Sterling accepted he had been the driver, and provided "no comment" answers to the driving.
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he → follow → driving
Defending Sterling, Jason Bartfeld KC said there was no dispute that the case was a "top category" because of the "at times" serious impairment, though it would have been for short periods within the driving.
But the defence did 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 → defend → specimen
Hampshire Police previously said the charges followed a single-vehicle collision near the M3 southbound, near the Minley interchange.
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charges → say → interchange
The force said no other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported.
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Sterling most recently played for Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivisie, having left Chelsea in January, but made just eight appearances in the Netherlands.
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Sterling → play → Netherlands
In four years at Chelsea - including a season-long loan at Arsenal - he made 59 league appearances after signing from Manchester City in 2022.
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he → include → 2022
With City he won four Premier League titles, having started his senior career with Liverpool before moving to Manchester in 2015.
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In the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours, Sterling was made an MBE for services to racial equality in sport.
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Sterling, who was seen listening attentively in the dock, was granted unconditional bail.
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who → see → bail
District Judge Kirsty Allman ordered a pre-sentence report to be carried out before the next hearing, 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 will next appear in court on 25 November, and has been disqualified from driving in the interim.
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Sterling → appear → interim
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