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      Dale Houghton faces jail for mocking football fans with Bradley Lowery pic for ‘banter’ as mum slams ‘unforgivable’ act

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      A “DEPLORABLE” football fan is facing jail for using a picture of tragic Bradley Lowery to mock Sunderland supporters for “banter”.Dale Houghton was one of two men seen smiling as they held up the image of Bradley, who died from cancer aged six, during the Sheffield Wednesday vs Sunderland match on Friday.
      Dale Houghton has been charged after the picture was used to mock fans
      Houghton is now facing jailCredit: Facebook
      Sunderland superfan Bradley died in 2017 aged sixCredit: PA:Press Association
      The 31-year-old appeared at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court today where he admitted causing harassment, alarm and distress.
      The disgraced fan now faces a maximum of six months in prison for the Public Order offence when he sentenced on November 17.
      Houghton was slammed by Bradley’s mum Gemma today for the “unforgivable” act, which drew criticism from all football supporters.
      In a victim impact statement, she said: “This image made me feel so many emotions. I find it hard to put into words.
      “It is not just disrespectful to Bradley but also to other people who are going through the emotional trauma of dealing with cancer.
      “This image portrays negatively. I feel upset that these two men used this image to get a reaction from Sunderland fans. It was unforgivable.
      “I have nothing but loving memories of Bradley.”
      Prosecutor Jade Short said Houghton’s antics caused a “huge public revulsion”.
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      She told the court the shamed football fan found it “enjoyable banter” as he was smiling throughout.
      The court was also told Houghton has lost his job as a window fitter following the sick act and is facing a ban from attending matches.
      Connie Combs, defending, said Houghton realised he was “out of line” and was “disgusted” by his actions.
      Judge James Gould warned Houghton he faces jail as he bailed him on the condition he does not attend any games.
      He will be made to attend a drug intervention programme after testing positive for cocaine, the court heard.
      Houghton is also banned from going within a mile of Hillsborough on match days.
      South Yorkshire Police have applied for a football banning order.
      A 27-year-old man who was also arrested has been released on bail while investigations continue.
      Football fans were left horrified after the pictures from the game were circulated on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.
      Brave Bradley’s battle with against rare childhood cancer neuroblastoma captured the nation’s hearts.
      He was diagnosed with the aggressive disease when he was just 18 months old, and tumours spread through his chest, lungs, lymph nodes, bone and bone marrow.
      After major surgery and gruelling chemotherapy, he pulled through and went into remission for 18 months.
      But the cancer returned in 2016, with his family dealt the crushing blow his disease was terminal.
      The footie-mad youngster had struck up a close bond with Sunderland captain Jermain Defoe, who led him out on to the pitch before several matches.
      Tragically, Bradley died in July 2017 in his devastated parents’ arms, with Defoe paying an emotional tribute to his “best pal”.
      Speaking after Houghton pleaded guilty today, the ex-England star said he was “appalled and saddened”.
      Defoe said: “My thoughts at this time go out to Gemma and Carl [Bradley’s parents], who shouldn’t have to deal with incidents like this, but rather be praised for the amazing work they are doing with the Bradley Lowery Foundation in their son’s memory.
      “I urge the public to stand behind the family and continue support the Foundation and its projects.
      “Bradley was one of the most inspirational children this world has ever seen, and he will never stop inspiring us.
      “We love and miss you Brad. Love, your best friend forever.”
      Read More on The Sun
      Houghton hid his face as he left court todayCredit: Ben Lack
      Jermain Defoe struck up a close friendship with BradleyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      A charity set up by mum Gemma slammed the fan on FacebookCredit: Getty – Contributor More

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      Man, 31, charged with public order offence after tragic picture of Bradley Lowery was used to ‘taunt’ Sunderland fans

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      A MAN has been charged with a public order offence after a picture of Bradley Lowery was used to “taunt” Sunderland fans.Two men displayed an image of the six-year-old Black Cats fan, who tragically died from cancer in 2017, on Friday evening.
      Dale Houghton, 31, has been charged with a public order offence after a picture of Bradley Lowery was used to ‘taunt’ Sunderland fans
      Jermain Defoe pictured with mascot Bradley in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      The reports came after the Sheffield Wednesday v Sunderland match held at Hillsborough.
      Dale Houghton, 31, from Rotherham, was arrested yesterday and has now been charged with a Section 4a Public Order offence.
      Houghton has been remanded in custody and will appear before Sheffield Magistrates’ Court tomorrow morning.
      South Yorkshire Police have also applied for a football banning order.
      Read more Sports News
      A 27-year-old man, also arrested yesterday, has been released on police bail while further enquiries are conducted.
      Bradley was a mascot for his beloved Sunderland and, in the months before his death, led England out at Wembley alongside his hero – former Black Cats striker Jermain Defoe.
      Pictures circulated on X, formerly Twitter, showing two men laughing with one of them holding up a picture of Bradley to the camera.
      In a post on Facebook, the Bradley Lowery Foundation, a charity set up by the boy’s mother Gemma, said: “This is so sad for me to see – whatever happened to ‘cancer has no colours’, let alone respect for a family that lost their baby to cancer?”
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      Young Bradley was a regular Sunderland mascot, holding the hand of his idol Defoe.
      In June 2017, he penned an emotional tribute to his “best pal” Bradley – saying his favourite part of playing for Sunderland was walking onto the pitch with the brave youngster.
      Defoe said he was heartbroken when he discovered the brave child could only have weeks to live.
      In the wake of Bradley’s death social media was flooded with messages filled with blue heart emojis in a show of support for him.
      His mum shared her heartbreak on FacebookCredit: Getty – Contributor
      The Sunderland fan tragically lost his life to cancer in 2017Credit: Twiter / @Sheffield wednesday More

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      Woman ‘sexually assaulted by pal of Benjamin Mendy after going to party at ex-Man City star’s home’

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      A WOMAN was sexually assaulted by a friend of football star Benjamin Mendy after going to a party at the ex-Manchester City player’s home, a court heard yesterday.The woman — 22 at the time — was in a car at the gates of Mendy’s house with his pal Louis Saha Matturie when she was allegedly attacked in 2021, the jury was told.
      Louis Saha Matturie denies charges of rape and sexual assault against him
      The prosecution claims it happened three months after Matturie raped two teenagers — aged 19 and 17 — in separate incidents at lockdown parties at his flat in Salford in 2021.
      Matturie, 42, of Eccles, Gtr Manchester, denies sexual assault in the car.
      He also denies two charges of rape and a further sexual assault.
      The trial continues at Chester crown court.
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      Ex-world boxing champion Glenn McCrory cleared of sex assault after ‘calling waitress “pet” & touching her elbow’

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      FORMER world champion boxer Glenn McCrory has been cleared of sexual assault after allegedly calling a waitress “pet” and touching her elbow.A jury at the Old Bailey found the star not guilty of three counts of sexual assault after deliberating for just 90 minutes.
      Glenn McCrory outside the Old Bailey today after he was cleared of sexual assaultCredit: Central News
      McCrory with his world champion belt in 1990Credit: Getty
      McCrory fighting Lennox Lewis at the Royal Albert HallCredit: PA
      McCrory, 59, had been a guest speaker at the pre-fight dinner before the Anthony Joshua v Oleksandr Uysk world heavyweight title bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 26 September 2021.
      He said that he only touched three waitresses’ arms in a bid to get their attention.
      Prosecutors claimed he deliberately used the term ‘pet’ in an overly flirtatious way – but the boxer told the jury the word is commonly used by Geordies.
      The former world champion boxer said when he arrived at the venue the member of staff who greeted him did not know who he was – could not find his name on the guest list.
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      McCrory said he had to lean down to speak to her as she was petite and it was noisy, but he had no recollection of touching her.
      He said: “I just leaned down. I may well have touched her elbow but I am a big guy so I would never be forceful.”
      The court was shown CCTV footage of McCrory at the entrance to the dining hall showing him talking with one of the alleged victims.
      It clearly shows him touching her elbow with his hand as he leaned down to speak to her.
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      He told jurors that he was asking her where his table was, and that he touched her elbow due to their height difference.
      Scott Brady, defending, asked: “Do you think you were intending to be flirtatious?”
      The ex-fighter replied: ‘No.’ He also denied winking to her.
      After he had given his speech, which lasted 20-30 minutes, McCrory returned to his table.
      He said he hadn’t been given a starter, after being told one would be kept for him.
      McCrory said when he tried to raise this one of the servers had a “troubled reaction” to his use of the word “pet” while speaking to her.
      He said: “Everyone on the table noticed the reaction.”
      All I wanted to do was get my dinner and watch the fightGlenn McCrory
      McCrory added that in the north-east of England the word ‘pet’ is a term of endearment, and is often used to address young women in the same way you might address a man as ‘mate’.
      He said that when she came back to his table he tried to get her attention to ask her about his starter.
      The boxing star said: “She turned her back on me as I was trying to talk to her, blatantly ignoring me, so I touched her elbow.
      “I was trying to get her attention. She turned around and said it was in the bin.
      “All I wanted to do was get my dinner and watch the fight.”
      CCTV footage played in court showed McCrory interacting with other guests at the event.
      A number of people were taking selfies with the former champion as he hugged and put his arms around them.
      “You are being very tactile with these people,” Mr Brady said.
      McCrory agreed, adding: “If they are being friendly and I am in the right environment.”
      He added that this was the way he normally interacted with others at events like this.
      Mr Brady asked him: “If you touched those waitresses…was there anything sexual about it?”
      McCrory replied: “Absolutely not.” He also said he has poor eyesight, and has scar tissue in his eyes due to congenital problems and damage sustained during his boxing career.
      This can cause him to rub his eyes and blink a lot.
      The women had claimed McCrory touched them in a sexual manner without their consent, repeatedly winked at them and slurred his words.
      It’s how we talk. That’s part of the Geordie.Glenn McCrory
      McCrory – a cruiserweight once known as the ‘Northern Warrior’ – had insisted he was misunderstood and people are friendlier in the north east than in London.
      In his police interview he said he said he had no recollection of touching a waitress, but that if he had done so it would only have been to get their attention.
      He described the service as ‘very poor’ and said one server ‘scarpered’ when he approached her to ask where the toilet was.
      McCrory said that using words like ‘pet’ was normal in the north-east of England, and that he had not intended to cause any offence.
      He explained: “It’s how we talk. That’s part of the Geordie.
      “I very well could have called her a darling, called her a pet, but 100 per cent how we speak.’
      He said that he was unaware anything untoward had happened that night, and that he had been ‘astounded’ when he later received a letter from the police notifying him of the complaints.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Asked if he had intended to cause any of the waitresses stress or alarm he replied: “Absolutely not.”
      McCrory, of Burnopfield, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, denied and was cleared of three charges of sexual assault.
      The former world champion in action against Patrick Lumumba in 1989Credit: Getty More

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      Barcelona ‘charged with BRIBERY’ as Spanish champions face Champions League ban over referee payments

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      BARCELONA could be banned from the Champions League after being charged with allegedly bribing referees.Back in March, SunSport reported the Catalan giants could be axed from Europe’s elite competition if they are found guilty.
      Barcelona could be banned from the Champions League if found guiltyCredit: EPA
      The Catalan giants last lifted the Champions League back in 2015Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Now Spanish outlet El Debate are reporting that judge Joaquin Aguirre has accused Barcelona of bribery.
      This relates to £6million in payments to Jose Maria Enruquez Negreira – former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees.
      Ex-Barcelona presidents Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell have both been charged, along with Negreira and his son Javier Enriquez Romero.
      The LaLiga champions are accused of breaching a law which bans officials from receiving reward for their performances of public duties.
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      The Supreme Court have classified Negreira as an individual who was performing a public function.
      The charges allege that Negreira was given cash through a shell company set up by ex-Barcelona director Josep Contreras.
      It is also alleged Contreras earned 50 per cent commission from this transaction.
      Former ref Alberto Gimenez has also accused Negreira of labelling him a “chicken” in a “secret match-fixing meeting”.
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      He told RadioMarca: “Negreira pressured me. He met me with other referees and told me: ‘Hey chicken, be careful with what you say on television. You already understand me. Be careful’.
      “There is a formula for fixing matches. It’s a fool’s trap: I’m a friend of ‘such and such’ who will support you, you give me so much and I’ll fix it for you.
      “If the result is negative, the money is returned. If he wins, he is marked for life. If he loses and returns the money, he has another chance.”

      LaLiga president Javier Tebas previously urged Barca president Laporta to explain the situation.
      The club’s vice-president, Rafael Yuste, then claimed they had hired a law firm to begin an investigation.
      Yuste also claimed the payments to Negreira’s Dasnil company ended in 2018.
      One of the potential punishments for Barcelona includes a Champions League ban.
      The Spanish side have not won the competition since 2015 and were eliminated in the group stage in each of the past two seasons. More

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      Ex-Premier League footballer and racehorse owner claims he’s living off £250-a-week while trying to fight speeding fine

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      A FORMER Premier League football star has claimed he’s living off £250 a week while trying to fight a speeding fine.Ex-England Under-21 international and racehorse owner Alan Rogers was punished for speeding in his new Tesla electric car.
      Alan Rogers played in the Premier League for Nottingham ForestCredit: Getty
      He was caught driving his £50,000 Model Y at 51mph in a 40mph zone.
      But the former footballer’s lawyer said he had no pension and was struggling to make ends meet renting out properties.
      Rogers, a defender for Nottingham Forest and Leicester City, had faced being banned from driving under the totting-up procedure.
      But charges of failing to provide a document were dropped at Wirral Magistrates’ Court, where the 46-year-old was fined £50 for speeding.
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      His barrister Daniel Bramhall told the court: “In terms of his income he is currently not employed. He is retired.
      “He has no access to a pension. He is paid £250 per week as a result of renting out properties. Those properties are part of his pension.
      “I ask for the fine to be as low as possible and for his licence to be endorsed with three penalty points. There are no penalty points on his licence.”
      Rogers, from Ormskirk in Lancashire, was part of manager Dave Bassett’s Forest team which won promotion to the top flight in 1998.
      Most read in Football
      He had joined the East Midlands side from Tranmere Rovers the previous year for £2million, a record sum for the Merseyside club.
      His account on X, formerly Twitter, describes him as: ”Proud Ex professional footballer and race horse owner. I am now a full time crypto trader/angel investor/researcher.”
      The magistrates’ court listing said he failed to respond to a traffic section 172 notice for a second time after his Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD was caught speeding in February this year.
      He had previously failed to respond to a section 172 notice in August last year after his previous 2021-registered Tesla Model 3 Standard Range was alleged to have committed a traffic offence in Manchester.
      Section 172 notices stipulate a registered keeper of a vehicle should notify police of the identity of a driver when the car has been caught speeding or another traffic offence.
      The penalty for failing to respond can be a fine and six points on a driving licence.
      But Rogers already had six points wiped off his licence at a hearing before Liverpool magistrates last month, after arguing he had not received the first section 172 notice.
      He has also now successfully argued he did not receive the second section 172 notice.
      Rogers admitted one speeding matter, driving his Tesla at 51 mph in a 40mph zone at 10.49am on February 17, along the A49 in Maghull, Merseyside.
      ENGLAND UNDER-21 CAPS
      Mr Bramhall told magistrates: “Mr Rogers was due to attend today because consideration was going to be given as to whether he ought to be disqualified.
      “But had Mr Rogers received the original section 172 notice he would have responded to that and a plea to the original speeding offence would have been accepted.
      “In all likelihood he would have been offered a speed awareness course – through no fault of his own, he did not receive that letter.”
      Rogers was also ordered to pay £50 costs.
      During his four years at Forest the defender scored 17 goals in 137 appearances and also won three England Under-21 caps in 1998.
      His other clubs included Wigan Athletic, Hull City and Bradford City before a knee injury ended his playing career in 2007 while at Accrington Stanley.
      He later took up coaching roles, including spells as caretaker manager at Tranmere in 2015 and boss of non-league Skelmersdale United two years later.
      Outside football, Rogers was reported in 2010 by the Liverpool Echo to be preparing to sue Merseyside Police for lost earnings of £1million.
      That was after his Liverpool nightclub Cube was forcibly closed due to concerns of violence.
      The £1.25million club in the city centre, covering four floors, opened in 2008 but was first shut down in March 2009 after allegations of assaults.
      His lawyers stated police were unable to provide any evidence of his links to Fitzgibbon when challenged by the city council’s licensing committee and that no one had been convicted of any offences inside or outside the club.
      Cops said at the time no claim for damages was received but that licensing conditions for the club had been amended.
      Rogers admitted assaulting a business rival at Chorley Magistrates’ Court in April 2018, for which he was given a conditional discharge, the Echo also reported.
      He later vented his anger at the Professional Footballers Association in 2019, telling the Daily Mail there had been a lack of support for retired footballers.
      Rogers said the PFA had “gone missing” after he sought help and advice when facing a financial ruin when a property investment went wrong.
      He said he had put £500,000 into a project to convert a pub into apartments but when the property failed to secure planning permission ended up selling it property at auction for £30,000.
      He also said he got no response when he applied to the PFA for a grant for an operation on his knee to help in his coaching career.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      The PFA said at the time it had offered support to Rogers regarding his investment concerns in 2015 but he had not taken it up.
      The footballer’s union said it had not received the required information about any request for medical support.
      Rogers featured for Forest in the top flight after helping them win promotion in 1998Credit: Getty
      He scored against Manchester United in February 1999 though Forest lost 8-1Credit: Getty
      Rogers was at Forest for four years before joining Leicester City in 2001Credit: Getty More

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      Ex-England star Jesse Lingard apologises as he admits drink-driving in his £200k Lamborghini – and is fined £57k

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      EX-ENGLAND star Jesse Lingard has apologised after he admitted drink-driving in his £200,000 Lamborghini – and was fined £57,000.The former Manchester United footballer, 30, had only owned the flash motor for three months when he was stopped by cops on July 8 in Manchester while double the alcohol limit.
      Jesse Lingard leaving court today after he was fined a week’s wagesCredit: Steve Allen
      He was caught drink driving behind the wheel of his LamborghiniCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
      Lingard admitted the driving offenceCredit: Steve Allen
      Tara Riley, prosecuting, said that an officer who was following his Lamborghini Uris became aware it was being driven at speed.
      The the officer’s “initial belief”, she said, was Lingard’s vehicle was racing another high-performance car.
      “He doesn’t believe 100 per cent they were racing but they were driving at speed,” she said.
      She said the officer spoke to Lingard at the roadside and believed he was under the influence of alcohol due to his behaviour.
      Read More Football
      A breath test revealed 76 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath.
      Frank Rogers, representing Lingard, described the player’s actions as “out of character”.
      Mr Rogers said Lingard had initially been out for a meal with friends and only drunk soft drinks.
      He’d intended going home but had then received a call from a “fellow professional footballer” and driven to Manchester to have a “few drinks” with him.
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      Mr Rogers said Lingard had “mistakenly” believed he had left sufficient time to drive home, describing it as “spontaneous decision”.
      A personal assistant, who would normally drive Lingard in such circumstances, wasn’t working, he said.
      Mr Rogers denied Lingard had been “racing” and the two-“high-performance cars” were sitting at lights at the time
      He said Lingard had shown remorse for his actions and it was “apparent how heavily this weighs on him”.
      Mr Rogers said that his client would pay a “heavy price” in the future as his career and family – to whom he has large financial commitments- would be impacted.
      He added that Lingard – who is currently without a club after being released by Nottingham Forest – was training with West Ham, who were considering offering him a contract, and other offers were “in the pipeline”.
      When pressed by district judge Joanne Hirst how much Lingard currently earned, Mr Rogers told the court it was £249,000 a month, or £57,000 a week.
      The judge told Lingard the case had aggravating features, including  him being twice over the limit, saying: “One wonders who would have cared for your entire family had you killed yourself or someone else.”
      The judge told him that he would be punished in the same way as anyone else before the court – a week’s earnings.
      She also added a £2,000 victim surcharge, meaning Lingard must £59,000 in total, and banned him from driving for 18-months, to run concurrently with an existing six-month ban.
      Lingard said in a statement: “I want to acknowledge my mistake and publicly apologise for my unacceptable actions.
      “I completely understand and accept the consequences of my mistake by putting the lives of others at risk.
      “I am sorry to all my fans anyone who has followed and supported me throughout my career.
      “I accept the sentence of the court and the fine.”
      It is the second time Lingard will appear before magistrates in less than two months.
      He was previously banned from driving after he failed to name the driver when his car was caught speeding.
      The midfielder’s Range Rover was flashed by a speed camera on the A56 in Trafford last year.
      Lingard, 30, then failed to give police the the name of the driver when he received a speeding notice at his home.
      He pleaded guilty to failing to provide information about who was driving his vehicle at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
      The star was fined £900 with a further £560 in costs and banned from the roads for six months.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      The ban came under a “totting up” process as Lingard already had points on his licence from two previous speeding offences.
      His lawyer claimed he was not the driver but missed the letter telling him to provide the drivers’ details as it went to his old address in Manchester while he was then living in Nottingham.
      Lingard playing for Nottingham Forest in MarchCredit: Getty More

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      Footballer, 33, who took cops on high speed chase before crashing 100k Range Rover and running from scene dodges jail

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      A FOOTBALLER who led police on a high speed chase in a £100,000 Range Rover ran off after smashing into a parked car.Gary Madine, 33, who has played up front for Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool, roared around in his Range Rover with police on his tail.
      Blackpool’s Gary Madine walks off the pitch after being shown a red card during the Sky Bet Championship match at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool on Feb 7 2023Credit: PA
      Damage to Gary Madine’s Range RoverCredit: NCJMedia
      Madine ran from the scene after crashing into a parked carCredit: NCJMedia
      Locals were asleep as Madine sped through Birtley, Gateshead during the early hours of April 3.
      Madine, who has previous convictions for violence, decided to floor the SUV rather than pull over when cops arrived.
      Newcastle Crown Court heard how Madine behaved in a “ridiculously stupid” way when officers turned up to reports of a disturbance in the early hours of the morning.
      Mark Atkins, prosecuting, said: “The vehicle began to make off and ignored instructions by the police to stop.
      “The police officer got into his car and followed the defendant and activated his blue lights and siren.
      “During the police pursuit, he drove dangerously. There’s footage of the pursuit from the dash cam of the police car.
      “During the chase, the defendant collided with a white Ford Focus parked outside a house on a path.”
      The impact of that crash caused a post box to be knocked over and caused damage to the Ford and the Range Rover.
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      Madine tried to continue driving but was unable to do so due to the damage, and after around 40m he got out and ran off, along with his passenger.
      However as he was the registered keeper of the car, he was easily traced. However he failed to respond to a notice requesting information on who was driving at the time.
      The 33-year-old, of Bede Way, Birtley, who has four previous convictions for violence but a clean driving licence, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to stop for police and failing to provide information regarding the driver of a vehicle.
      Recorder Paul Reid sentenced him to six months suspended for 18 months with 250 hours unpaid work and a 12 month driving ban with a requirement he sit an extended test before he can get his licence back.
      The judge said: “It’s a mystery why people in your position do this, I suspect you made off from the police because you didn’t want to be breathalysed but I disregard that, the circumstances of this are bad enough.
      “I’m impressed with the pre-sentence report and character references and the letter you have written yourself. You described this as an act of stupidity. It’s fortunate it didn’t result in worse damage or injury to other people.”
      Shaun Routledge, defending, said Madine had “panicked”, adding: “2023 has been a difficult year for him, his relationship of some years ending and he suffered a serious injury which led to nine months of rehabilitation and not being able to perform the job he has done for many years. He was feeling very low in April.”
      Mr Routledge said Madine’s “profession depends on his full recovery”, adding: “There are offers from other clubs.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “Blackpool have been very supportive in terms of rehab. It may be he gets a way back into what he has done all his adult life but he may not. He realises what he did was ridiculously stupid.”
      Madine in action for Blackpool against Rangers last yearCredit: Willie Vass
      Gary Madine leaves Newcastle Quayside Law Courts.Credit: NCJMedia
      Gary Madine, who admitted dangerous drivingCredit: NCJMedia More