Footballer handed six-month driving ban

The England international was disqualifed after he failed to respond to two speeding notices sent to his home address.

He admitted to two counts of failing to provide the identity of who was driving his Ferrari 458 Italia car which was clocked at 51mph in a 40mph zone in Manchester in September.

Tameside Magistrates’ Court heard the six penalty points took him over the 12-point penalty limit as he already had nine points for three separate driving offences in November 2010, December last year and this January.

Richards, 24, who did not attend, was also ordered to pay a £600 fine, £85 costs and £60 victim surcharge.

The court was told Richards had difficulties with his post at the time the notices were sent out last September and last November because his home in Bowdon, Altrincham, was being renovated and he was staying elsewhere.

Last week, team-mate Carlos Tevez, 29, was disqualifed from driving for six months and told to perform 250 hours of community service after he admitted driving while banned and without insurance.

City midfielder Samir Nasri, 25, also received a six-month ban last week after he admitted to three charges of failing to provide police with the identity of the driver of his car which was clocked speeding over four months in 2011.

Richards’s solicitor Nick Terry told the court: “At the time of these offences Mr Richards’s home was under construction.

“He was staying at different properties and he had difficulties with his post.

“He couldn’t suggest that the notices didn’t arrive. He is willing to accept he did not respond to them.”

The court heard the footballer could not recall if he was behind the wheel at the time of the speeding offence.

Mr Terry said his client knew he would be banned yesterday and had not driven from 9am.