Footballer John Stones was convicted of speeding and landed with a £1,052 court bill after missing a police letter while on international duty with England at the World Cup, according to court records and news reports. The 32-year-old defender, who left Manchester City for Inter Milan in the summer, was caught driving his £150,000 Range Rover at 43mph along a 30mph stretch of a country lane near his Cheshire home on May 8.
Court Conviction and Penalty Details
Magistrates at Warrington Magistrates Court processed the case last week through the Single Justice Procedure. Court records show Stones received four penalty points on his licence alongside a £666 fine. He was further ordered to pay £120 in costs and a £266 victim surcharge, bringing his total financial penalty to £1,052.
Cheshire Police initially contacted Stones after a speed camera clocked his Range Rover at 10:40 BST on May 8. While Stones admitted to being the driver when first reached by police, he failed to respond to a subsequent letter offering him a fixed penalty notice that would have resolved the offense outside of court.
The World Cup Timeline and Missed Mail
Writing to Warrington Magistrates Court to explain the absence, Stones detailed how his football commitments kept him away from his residence. “The reason I am only responding to the offence now is because I represent our country for football and so I have not been home and seen any post,” Stones wrote in his court submission.
Stones stated he mailed his driver details on May 28 before joining the England squad. He remained with the national team until July 19, participating in the World Cup finals in the USA—including starting the opening match, playing in the quarter-final against Mexico, and featuring in the semi-final defeat to Argentina. Following the tournament, he took a holiday and then completed a transfer to Inter Milan, leaving his Cheshire property unoccupied for nearly four months.
Career Context and Serie A Move
The speeding offense occurred during the closing weeks of Manchester City’s domestic campaign, just as the club prepared for the FA Cup final and the conclusion of the Premier League title race. Stones spent 10 years at Manchester City following earlier spells at Barnsley and Everton.
Following his summer switch to Italy, the central defender has made four appearances for Inter Milan at the San Siro. Because he no longer resides in the United Kingdom, Stones informed the court that he could not attend the proceedings in person.
Speeding Conviction Questions
Why was John Stones prosecuted instead of paying a fixed penalty?
Stones admitted to driving when first contacted by Cheshire Police but did not respond to a second letter that offered a fixed penalty option. This lack of response triggered a prosecution through the Single Justice Procedure.
What penalties did Warrington Magistrates Court issue?
A magistrate issued four penalty points, a £666 fine, £120 in costs, and a £266 victim surcharge, totaling £1,052.
How did missing the mail happen?
According to Stones’ letter to the court, he left his home after sending his driver details on May 28 to join the England squad for the World Cup, subsequently taking a holiday and moving to Milan to join Inter Milan, leaving the house empty for roughly four months.
Related reading