Birmingham City striker Marvin Ducksch has been told he is lucky to be alive after causing a serious three-car crash while over the drink-drive limit. The German international appeared at Leamington Spa Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty to driving his Mercedes with excess alcohol.
The court heard that Ducksch, 32, was driving on the A3400 near Henley-in-Arden in Warwickshire at around 10.30pm on Easter Monday when the collision occurred. He had been a substitute in Birmingham City’s 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town earlier that day. Ducksch told officers he was changing his music and crashed, though he also claimed to have been avoiding a tree branch.
Prosecutor Lina Akther said Ducksch identified himself at the scene and confirmed he was involved. He was breath-tested and found to have 53mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, exceeding the legal limit of 35mcg. Two female drivers were injured in the crash, one suffering a nosebleed and injuries to her forehead and thumb.
Magistrates handed Ducksch a 14-month driving ban, a fine of £16,155, and ordered him to pay £2,000 in compensation, a £2,000 surcharge, and £85 in costs – totalling £20,240, to be paid at £2,000 per month. Chairman of the bench John Kiely told Ducksch: “You can consider yourself lucky first of all that you weren’t killed and secondly that the other drivers weren’t killed.”
Defence solicitor Julia Morgan said Ducksch had been penalised financially by Birmingham City and had missed several matches as a result. She described him as a man of “impeccable character” and said he had waited at the scene to check on the other motorists.
