Jack Grealish: Aston Villa captain pleads guilty to careless driving

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish did not attend the hearing at Birmingham Magistrates' Court

England footballer Jack Grealish has admitted two counts of careless driving.

The Aston Villa captain, 25, was charged with driving offences relating to two incidents this year.

The first was an accident involving his Range Rover in Dickens Heath, near Solihull, during lockdown on 29 March.

Court documents released before the hearing at Birmingham Magistrates' Court revealed a further incident near Villa's training ground on 18 October.

Grealish admitted another offence relating to an incident near Aston Villa's Bodymoor Heath training ground in Middleton, Warwickshire

Grealish, of Barnt Green, Worcestershire, was accused of driving without due care and attention on Bodymoor Heath Road - the site of his club's training complex in north Warwickshire - as well as on the M42 and the A446 on the same day.

The court heard he was seen tailgating other vehicles on the M42 and driving his Range Rover at 98 mph by police observing him in an unmarked vehicle.

He did not appear in court but entered his two guilty pleas through his lawyer.

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Before the earlier incident in March, Grealish had issued a video appeal for people to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

Grealish's Range Rover was also damaged in the Dickens Heath crash

Two vehicles - a Citroen van and a Mercedes - were damaged in the accident, and as well as driving carelessly the footballer was charged with failing to stop at the scene and also failing to report it.

The footballer denied the two other charges, and the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence, so they were dismissed.

The court heard that Grealish, who already has six points on his licence for a 2018 speeding offence, could not attend court for sentencing, which was adjourned until 15 December.

District Judge John Bristow said the existing penalty points meant he could be at risk of a driving ban.