Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish admits two charges of careless driving

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish today admitted two charges of careless driving after crashing his £80,000 Range Rover into parked cars following a party during the Covid lockdown. 

Grealish, 25, admitted one offence in connection with a collision in Dickens Heath, near Solihull, on March 29, six days after lockdown restrictions were imposed nationwide.

The England international also admitted a second charge of careless driving relating to allegations he drove without due care and attention on the M42, in October. 

District Judge John Bristow said Grealish already had six penalty points on his driving licence for a 2018 motorway speeding offence and could therefore be at risk of a driving ban under the totting-up scheme.

The judge ordered his lawyer, Barry Warburton, to summon the footballer to court for sentencing today, but he was unable to reach him so the date was put back to December 15..  

The crash on March 29 came just 24 hours after Grealish issued a Twitter video message urging others to stay at home to save lives and protect the NHS.

Pictures emerged online of Grealish exiting the flat of ex-Scottish striker and former Villa player Ross McCormack, after attending a party in Waterside, Dickens Heath, Solihull, West Mids,.

They showed the Villa player dressed in a light blue hoodie and wearing slippers stood on a pavement after crashing his white Range Rover into parked cars.

It is said former Leeds player Tony Capaldi had also attended the party.

He was fined £150,000 and it was thought no further action would be taken.

But West Midlands Police revealed on June 18, that he would be charged with the offences.

The winger, from Barnt Green, Worcestershire, also admitted a second charge of careless driving committed on October 18 on the M42, the A446 and on Bodymoor Heath Road, the site of Villa’s training complex.

Grealish had denied two other charges in connection with the Dickens Heath incident, of failing to stop and failing to report the incident, but the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence and the charges were dismissed. 

Grealish didn’t appear at Birmingham Magistrates court instead being represented by his lawyer Barry Warburton. 

Asked if the footballer could be present at court this afternoon to be sentenced, Mr Warburton replied: ‘I can make enquiries.’

Adjourning the hearing for a short period to allow time for the query to be raised, Judge Bristow said: ‘It would be preferable to dispose of the matter today. I have heard it now, I am sitting this afternoon.

‘If he can get here this afternoon, I can deal with him this afternoon.’