England all-rounder Ben Stokes warned he could be sent to prison over driving offences
The cricket legend has been banned from driving for speeding four times
ENGLAND cricket star Ben Stokes will be jailed if he is caught driving in the next six months after being caught speeding FOUR times, a judge has warned.
The Durham all-rounder was banned from driving until mid-December after admitting reaches speeds of 75mph in a 50mph zone as he passed roadworks on the A1 in North Yorkshire.
The 25-year-old cricketer, who made history by racing to the second fastest Test match double century in
January, pleaded guilty at Northallerton Magistrates Court yesterday.
He was caught by cameras in a 50mph limit section between Barton and Scotch Corner on the southbound carriageway at 7.01am on September 20 - just a week after top-scoring in a one-day international against Australia.
Stokes, who has been described by Sir Geoffrey Boycott as "the magic piece in the jigsaw" for England, also admitted to driving at an average speed of 61mph on the A1 northbound carriageway past the same roadworks on August 26 at 12.19pm -two days after taking three wickets in the final Ashes Test.
Two charges of failing to provide police with the identity of the driver were dropped after Stokes, who is currently battling a knee injury, admitted the speeding offences.
As the proceedings started, Stokes, who appeared before the court wearing a dark blue suit with his fiancee Clare Ratcliffe sat beside him, appeared relaxed and before confirming his name and address in Durham said to magistrates "Hi, how are you doing?"
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The court was told Stokes had previously been given three points for speeding on July 24, 2014, days after taking five wickets in a Test match against India and another three points on September 20 last year, for speeding in a 30mph zone.
His counsel, Laura Nash, said Stokes was stumped over the 30mph speeding offence, but the court's clerk confirmed it as accurate.
She said: "He is at a loss as to how there is an endorsement on the same date."
Ms Nash said Stokes had looked forward to taking his one and three-year-old children to nursery, accepted that his fiancee would bear that burden and had pledged to stop speeding.
She said: "He also faces the embarrassment of having to declare the disqualification to his employers, Durham and the ECB (England Cricket Board).
"He is very much aware that this sends out the wrong message, that a professional sportsman has been captured speeding on four separate occasions."
Magistrate Anna Ramsden also fined Stokes £830, handed him a further nine points and warned him if he was caught behind he wheel before December 14 he could be jailed.
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