Birmingham City striker Marvin Ducksch has been ordered to pay more than £20,000 after admitting to causing a three-car collision while driving under the influence of alcohol. The 32-year-old German forward appeared before Warwickshire Magistrates' Court, where he pleaded guilty to driving his Mercedes with 53 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the legal limit of 35 micrograms.
The incident occurred on the A3400 near Henley-in-Arden in Warwickshire at approximately 10.30pm on Easter Monday, just hours after Ducksch had played as a substitute in Birmingham City's 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town. During the hearing, prosecutor Lina Akther stated that Ducksch told officers he had been changing his music when the crash happened, though he also claimed to have been avoiding a tree branch in the road.
Magistrates imposed a 14-month driving ban, a fine of £16,155, compensation of £2,000 (£1,000 to each of the two female drivers involved), a £2,000 surcharge, and £85 in costs. The total sum of £20,240 is to be paid in monthly instalments of £2,000. The court heard that one of the victims suffered a nosebleed and injuries to her forehead and thumb, while the other driver was unharmed. Ducksch remained at the scene and checked on the well-being of the other motorists.
Chairman of the bench John Kiely addressed the footballer, saying: “You can consider yourself lucky first of all that you weren't killed and secondly that the other drivers weren't killed. That's how serious this matter is.” The magistrates had reviewed photographs of the damaged vehicles and emphasised the severity of the incident.
Defence solicitor Julia Morgan argued that Ducksch, who previously played for Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund, had a promising career ahead of him. She noted that he had been “comprehensively insured” and had already faced internal disciplinary action from Birmingham City, including financial penalties and being dropped from several matches. Morgan described Ducksch as “a man of impeccable character” and “a most polite young man,” expressing regret that he now had a criminal conviction.
Ducksch was allowed to leave the court after the sentencing, with the payment arrangement reflecting his ability to meet the financial obligations over time.
