Premier League boss hit by drink-drive ban as spiked beer plea fails

He had earlier pleaded guilty but applied to escape the ban, claiming his drink was spiked.

But a judge at Macclesfield Magistrates’ Court in Cheshire rejected the “special reasons” application, saying Kean had failed to prove his drink had been laced. The 43-year-old was almost twice the legal limit when he failed a breath test just hours after his side played Manchester United in the Premier League last May.

Kean, of Weybridge, Surrey, changed his plea to guilty of driving with excess alcohol shortly before his trial was due to begin yesterday.

Giving evidence, he told District Judge Nicholas Sanders there was a “celebratory” mood at Ewood Park after the game because United had clinched the Premier League title and the 1-1 result was considered a “good point” for Rovers.

After both managers had taken part in their press conferences, Kean hosted Sir Alex Ferguson and around 10 United officials at a reception in his office.

“When I first went in I poured Sir Alex a glass of red wine and I poured one for myself. I wished them all the best and congratulated them on winning the title,” he said.

He said Sir Alex later poured him a second glass of red wine, and he had a further half glass.

After leaving the stadium, he went to his North West home to pack some clothes for the drive down to his family home in the South East. Before setting off on the motorway at around 6.30pm, he stopped at the Whalley Arms pub to meet a group of friends who had been to the game.

During the 45 minutes he was there he said a friend bought him a bottle of Budweiser which he drank out of a small glass.

He said he frequently left the glass unattended as he talked to football supporters, signed autographs and posed for photos. Questioned by defence counsel James Harrison about how he felt as he left the pub, Kean said: “Football is an emotional game and your adrenaline is rushing but I felt fine.”

Passing sentence, Judge Sanders rejected Kean’s case that his drink had been spiked. “There is another possible explanation and that is that he had more to drink than he has admitted today,” he added.