Ex-Premier League striker banned for drink-driving says ‘I used to be not driving crazily’

Leroy Lita, who played for Middlesbrough between 2009 and 2011, was more than twice the legal alcohol limit when he was stopped behind the wheel of his Mercedes in Sunderland and has been handed an 18-month driving ban

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A former Premier League striker turned football coach told court he “was not driving crazily” after he caught more than twice over the alcohol limit while driving his Mercedes.

Leroy Lita, who now works with Sunderland Academy youth teams, was stopped on a road in the city due to officers being worried about the “manner of his driving”. The court heard police spoke to the 41-year-old and decided to breathalyse him because they could detect the smell of alcohol on his breath and his speech was slurred.

The father-of-two was then arrested after he failed the roadside breath test and later provided a reading of 74mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, exceeding the legal limit of 35mcg.

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Lita, who listed his address as Sunderland Academy, Sunderland Road, Sunderland, appeared in court earlier this year, where he pleaded not guilty to driving with excess alcohol. At that time, he argued the officer had incorrectly recorded his roadside breath test reading.

However, the former Premier League footballer, who played for Middlesbrough FC between 2009 and 2011, returned to South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, June 23, for his trial, but opted to change his plea to guilty.

Jonathan Stirland, prosecuting, said an officer was in a marked police car on Shields Road, in Sunderland, at around 11.50am on January 18, reports Chronicle Live.

“He was positioned behind Mr Lita’s motor vehicle and, because of something to do with the manner of his driving, he caused the vehicle to stop,” Mr Stirland continued.

“He spoke to Mr Lita, who was described as having the smell of alcohol on his breath and his speech was slightly slurred. That gave the officer some cause to suspect he may have had some alcohol before driving.”

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The court heard Lita failed a roadside breath test and was taken to Southwick Police Station, where he provided a further two samples of breath, with the lowest reading of the two being 74mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath.

Representing himself in court, Lita said: “I was not driving crazily or anything like that but, as the prosecution say, I was over the limit and I accept that and I apologise for that.

“I help loads of young people and I have done that for 10 years now. I’m not this crazy drink-driver, that’s not my character. I made a mistake.”

Lita added: “I travel with kids going across the country to play games and I support them and help them develop. I’m also the father of two girls.”

He apologised again to the court and said he hoped his apology would be accepted.

Lita was fined £777 and must pay £300 costs and a £311 victim surcharge. He was also banned from the roads for 18 months.

District Judge Zoe Passfield told him: “Do not drive whilst you are disqualified. If you do, that’s a breach of a court order and it often results in a prison sentence.”

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