Raheem Sterling Pleads Guilty to Dangerous Driving Charges
Raheem Sterling has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after crashing a Lamborghini on a series of motorways earlier this year.
The former England forward admitted at Basingstoke magistrates court on Tuesday to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on the M25, the M3 and the A327 before a collision on 28 May. The 31-year-old also admitted possessing six nitrous oxide canisters for wrongful inhalation – a class C drug offence – and failing to provide a specimen.
Sterling appeared in the Hampshire courtroom wearing a black suit jacket, black trousers, black shoes and a dark top, cutting a subdued figure as the charges were put to him.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary said the case stemmed from a single-vehicle crash on the M3 southbound near the Minley interchange on 28 May. Police confirmed no other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported.
The incident marks a stark off-field turn for a player who, at his peak, stood at the centre of England’s modern era. Sterling scored 20 goals in 82 appearances for his country, a key part of Gareth Southgate’s side that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the final of Euro 2020.
Career Overview
His rise began at QPR’s academy before a move to Liverpool, where he broke into senior football as one of the Premier League’s brightest young forwards. In 2015 he joined Manchester City and became a serial winner: four Premier League titles, five League Cups and the FA Cup in 2019 underlined his status as one of the most decisive wide players in the country.
The momentum stalled after a high-profile move to Chelsea in 2022. As his influence faded at Stamford Bridge, he spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Arsenal, searching for rhythm and minutes. Earlier this year he left Chelsea and took a short-term deal with Dutch club Feyenoord until the end of the season.
That contract has now expired. Sterling is currently without a club and facing an uncertain next step in his career, with this court case now part of the backdrop to any move.
Off the Pitch
Off the pitch, he has long been recognised as a prominent voice against racism in football and wider society. In the 2021 Queen’s birthday honours he was made an MBE for services to racial equality in sport, after fronting anti-racism and anti-discrimination campaigns and speaking out strongly against abuse on and off the pitch.
A player once defined by his speed and precision now waits to see how this latest chapter will shape the rest of his career.
