Former Manchester City defender John Stones has been convicted of speeding after missing a police letter while away at the World Cup. The 32-year-old, who left City for Inter Milan this summer, was caught driving at 43mph along a 30mph stretch of country lane near his Cheshire home in May.
Court hearing and missed letter
Stones admitted being the driver when first contacted by Cheshire Police, but failed to respond to a second letter offering a fixed penalty to keep the offence out of court. Appearing at Warrington Magistrates Court, he said the letter was 'found by chance' after his home had been vacant for 'almost four months'.
In a written statement, Stones said he had 'nothing to say about the speeding' but explained: "The reason I am only responding to the offence now is because I represent our country for football and so I have not been home and seen any post. I sent off my letter on the 28th May to give my details, I went off to join England. We were there until the 19th July."
Penalty and fine
Court records show the speed camera clocked the Range Rover at 10.40am on May 8, while City were in the final stages of last season's Premier League campaign and preparing for the FA Cup final. Stones was prosecuted and convicted in the Single Justice Procedure, with a magistrate issuing four penalty points and ordering him to pay a £666 fine, £120 in costs, and a £266 victim surcharge.
World Cup and Inter Milan move
Stones started the first match of the World Cup finals in the USA after being selected in the 26-man squad, before featuring in the quarter-final clash with Mexico and playing in England's semi-final defeat to Argentina. He has made four appearances so far for Inter Milan since his summer switch to the San Siro, following a 10-year stint at the Etihad.
