Raheem Sterling pleads guilty to dangerous driving after crashing his Lamborghini

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Raheem Sterling has pleaded guilty to dangerously driving a Lamborghini on the motorway earlier this year.

The former England footballer pleaded guilty during an appearance at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on the M25, the M3, the A327 and Minley Road before he crashed on 28 May.

The 31-year-old admitted possession of six nitrous oxide cannisters for wrongful inhalation, a class C drug, and failing to provide a specimen.

Sterling, from Berkshire, arrived at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court wearing black trousers, black shoes and a dark top.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary previously said the charges followed a single-vehicle collision on the M3 southbound, near Minley interchange, on May 28.

The force said that no other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported.

Sterling was seen inhaling from a balloon while driving his Lamborghini on the motorway in rush hour before crashing his car into a metal gate, the court heard on Tuesday.

A driver called police “shocked” by what he saw and another said she had “genuine concerns the driver might kill someone” by the way he was driving.

Police body worn footage of Sterling’s arrest at 9.15am shows him in the car with two canisters on his lap as the officer tells him: “You can put that down.”

Prosecutor Simon Jones told the court between 7.45am and 8.52am a number of calls were made about the black sports car in the manner it was being driven.

Witness Christopher Jennings on the M25 called 999 at 7.49am after he was driving in parallel to Sterling’s car and “he was shocked by what he saw”, Mr Jones said, and made clear “he sighted the defendant inhaling from the balloon”.

Fiona Jennings, another witness on the M3 southbound at around 8.45am, said she saw a black Lamborghini ahead of her whose driving she described as “absolutely horrendous” and “swerving in and out of lanes”, the court heard.

“She had genuine concerns the driver might kill someone,” Mr Jones said.

“She looked across, initially thought an air bag was in play, then realised in fact it was a large white inflated balloon and neck of balloon was in mouth of the driver.”

Sterling had come off junction 4a at the M3 before doing a loop on the A327 and, just after a roundabout, he came off the road.

The vehicle veered off the carriageway and “must have collided with either the sign or metal gate”, which caused “substantial” damage to his car and all four wheels which prevented him from driving further, the court heard.

Sterling was taken to Basingstoke police investigation centre by officers and during the process he disclosed to custody staff “he had a problem with nitrous oxide”, Mr Jones said.

He complied to do an impairment test but for a blood sample, Sterling asked to obtain legal advice before making a decision, Mr Jones said.

But in the police sergeant’s view “he was deliberately failing to provide a clear answer”.

Later, Sterling was interviewed by police with legal representation present where he accepted he had been the driver and provided no comment answers to the driving.

Defending Sterling, Jason Bartfeld KC said there is not a dispute this is a “top category case” because of prolonged driving and “at times” serious impairment which would have been short periods within the driving.

But the defence does not accept the damage to the car was serious and said there was “confusion” over the failure to provide a specimen.

He asked for the magistrates’ court to continue to deal with the case.

District Judge Kirsty Allman ordered for a pre-sentence report to be carried out before a next hearing on November 25 where she will determine whether to sentence at the magistrates’ court or send it to crown court.

Sterling, of London, left the courtroom on unconditional bail and was handed an interim disqualification from driving from Tuesday.

During his international career, Sterling scored 20 goals in 82 appearances for England, helping Gareth Southgate’s side reach the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the final of Euro 2020. He scored three goals in the latter tournament as the Three Lions fell just short of glory after losing to Italy on penalties in the final at Wembley.

Sterling also featured in the 2022 World Cup when England were knocked out by France in the quarter-finals.

He came through the academy at QPR before joining Liverpool, where he made his senior debut.

Sterling moved to Manchester City in 2015 and won four Premier League titles, five League Cups and the FA Cup in 2019.

He left for Chelsea in 2022 but after falling out of favour spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Arsenal.

After leaving Stamford Bridge, Sterling joined Feyenoord on a short-term deal in February and played eight times in the Dutch top flight.

He is currently without a club after leaving Feyenoord at the end of last season.

In the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours list, he was made an MBE for services to racial equality in sport amid controversy over England fans booing players taking the knee at matches as a gesture against intolerance.