Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Ince has been disqualified from driving for 12 months after being caught speeding twice within a matter of weeks.
The 56-year-old football pundit was clocked driving at 50mph in a 40mph zone in his Mercedes on the A40 in Buckinghamshire on 16 October 2023. Just over a month later, on 20 November, he was caught doing 36mph in a 30mph zone in the same vehicle.
Double Offence Leads to Ban
High Wycombe Magistrates' Court heard that Ince, who earned 53 caps for England, already had six penalty points on his licence before these latest offences. The new incidents took him to 10 points, triggering an automatic ban under the UK's totting-up procedure.
Ince pleaded guilty to both charges via written statements. Along with the driving ban, he was fined £1,346 and ordered to pay £110 in costs plus a £538 victim surcharge.
Football Legend's Mitigating Circumstances
The court was told that Ince, who managed several clubs including Blackburn Rovers and Reading, needed his car to travel between media commitments and family obligations. However, magistrates ruled the offences serious enough to warrant the ban.
This isn't the first motoring offence for the former Inter Milan star. In 2018, he was banned for six months for using his mobile phone while driving.
What the Law Says
Under UK law:
- Drivers who accumulate 12 or more penalty points within three years face disqualification
- Standard speeding offences typically carry 3-6 penalty points
- Serious speeding can result in immediate bans and larger fines
Road safety campaigners have welcomed the decision, emphasising that speeding laws apply equally to all drivers regardless of their public profile.
