Former England footballer Raheem Sterling pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and drug-related charges during a hearing at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court. The 31-year-old admitted to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on multiple roads, including the M25 and M3, on the morning of May 28. He also pleaded guilty to possessing nitrous oxide, a Class C drug, for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a specimen for analysis following a single-vehicle collision.
The court heard that police received several reports of dangerous driving between 7:45 and 8:52 on the morning of the incident. Witnesses reported seeing a Lamborghini swerving between lanes, and one witness stated she saw the driver inhaling from a white balloon. The vehicle eventually veered off the road at a layby, causing what prosecutors described as substantial damage to the car and its wheels. No other vehicles were involved, and no injuries were reported by Hampshire Police.
Upon their arrival, police found Sterling in the passenger seat of the car with two canisters of nitrous oxide on his lap. While initial roadside tests for alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine were negative, staff at a police investigation centre determined he was impaired. Prosecutor Simon Jones stated that Sterling disclosed to custody staff that he had a problem with nitrous oxide but did not consent to a blood sample, citing a desire for legal advice. Sterling's defense, Jason Bartfeld KC, acknowledged the case fell into the "top category" due to impairment but disputed the severity of the vehicle damage and noted confusion regarding the refusal to provide a specimen.
The scale of the incident involved multiple high-speed roadways, including the M25 and M3 motorways and the A327. Police received a series of emergency calls over a 67-minute period regarding the vehicle's movements before the final crash at the Minley interchange. Sterling, who recently played for Feyenoord in the Netherlands after a career with Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal, has already been disqualified from driving as an interim measure following his guilty plea.
The concrete day-to-day change for Sterling is the immediate loss of his driving privileges and the requirement to participate in a pre-sentence report. The legal outcome could set a precedent for how the courts handle impairment caused by nitrous oxide following its reclassification. The next step in the legal process is a hearing scheduled for November 25, where a judge will decide whether the sentencing will remain in the magistrates' court or be transferred to a crown court, which handles more serious criminal cases. Sterling remains on unconditional bail until that date.