Newcastle United footballer Joelinton has been handed a 12-month ban from driving and fined £31,085 after pleading guilty to drink-driving.
The Premier League midfielder, 26, was stopped by police who spotted his 2022-plate Mercedes G wagon, worth £170,000, on Ponteland Road, Newcastle, at around 1.20am on January 12.
The Brazilian star has been fined more than half of his £43,000-a-week wages after he admitted drinking two glasses of wine before getting behind the wheel.
When asked to do a breath test by police, it showed he had 43mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, over the 35mcg legal limit.
Joelinton Cássio Apolinário de Lira of Ponteland, pcitured leaving court, was handed a 12 month ban from driving and was fined £31,085 after pleading guilty to drink-driving at Newcastle’s Magistrates court
The district judge fined him £29,000 and gave the footballer player a 12 month driving ban
District Judge Paul Currer fined him £29,000 and banned him from driving for 12 months, which will be reduced to nine months if he completes a rehabilitation course before August.
He was also ordered to pay a £2,000 surcharge and £85 costs.
The judge told Joelinton he must impose a fine in the region of between 75 per cent and 120 per cent of his weekly wage which calculated based on documents showing his weekly wage was £43,000.
It was noted that Joelinton was a man of ‘good character’.
Jonathan Stirland, prosecuting, told the court that officers spotted his car driving at speed near the football ground and requested the driver to stop.
Joelinton was compliant with officers and told them he had drunk two glasses of wine earlier in the evening.
The judge calculated the fine based on documents showing his weekly wage was £43,000
Wearing a black suit, white shirt and black tie, Joelinton was asked by reporters if he was ‘sorry’ on his way into court, but club staff said he was not allowed to talk.
His roadside breath test recorded 50mcg per 100ml which reduced to 43mcg in one of two subsequent tests at Forth Banks police station, the court heard.
The arrest was made just 48 hours after the Brazilian starred in his sides’ win vs Leicester City at St James’ Park.
The arresting officers noted that the player’s eyes were ‘glazed over’, but a subsequent review of bodycam footage revealed he ‘looked fine’.
He had arrived at court, on the banks of the River Tyne, in a people-carrier with blacked-out windows at 9.10am.
He was flanked by a member of the club’s security staff.
Wearing a black suit, white shirt and black tie, Joelinton was asked by reporters if he was ‘sorry’ on his way into court, but club staff said he was not allowed to talk.
Geoffrey Forrester, defending, said: ‘He will be subject of disciplinary proceedings within the club once this process has concluded.’
In a plea to the judge he said: ‘I would be inviting you to impose the minimum disqualification.
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‘He genuinely thought he was fit to drive.
‘He was utterly compliant and cooperative both at the scene and at the police station.’
District Judge Currer said he took into account Joelinton’s early guilty plea and compliance with officers, and he was convinced of the footballer’s remorse.
But he warned Joelinton that drink driving was a serious offence.
The hearing lasted 15 minutes and the star quickly returned to the people carrier, waiting for him at the nearest point outside the court
He told the player: ‘What is clear to me is you accept you have made a grave mistake and a significant error of judgment.
‘You placed yourself in real jeopardy and it could have had disastrous consequences for the lives of others.
‘I sincerely hope you have learned from this mistake and we don’t see you in this court again.’
The hearing lasted 15 minutes and he quickly returned to the people carrier, waiting for him at the nearest point outside the court. He again declined to comment.
His appearance at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court came less than 48 hours after he scored the only goal in the Magpies’ 1-0 over Southampton in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Charged as Joelinton Cassio, and living in Ponteland, Northumberland, he wore a dark suit, white shirt and black tie, with shiny leather shoes, and was accompanied to court by a club security official.
Nine reporters were in court to follow proceedings. Manager Eddie Howe kept faith with the player and did not drop him after police announced he had been charged with drink driving.
The Brazilian has been a key part of the team’s success and they stand third in the table and are unbeaten in 15 Premier League games.
