Ex-Public Schoolboy Harry Lineker Banned For Drink-Driving

Drink-Driver: Harry Lineker

The son of BBC presenter and former England footballer Gary Lineker has been fined and banned for drink-driving after being arrested while looking for an early-morning McDonald's after three pints the night before.

Jobless Harry Lineker, 20, of Titlarks Hill, Ascot, Berkshire, told Hammersmith Magistrates Court he has been out of work for two years, but hopes to pursue a sports or football journalism career within the BBC.

He was arrested three months ago after being stopped in Smugglers Way, Wandsworth - an industrial area just south of the river Thames at 5am on a saturday due to his "erratic" driving.

He pleaded guilty to driving his 2010 silver VW Polo with excess alcohol in his blood - namely 86 milligrammes - and was fined £500, with £85 costs, was ordered to pay a £50 victim surcharge and was disqualified for twelve months.

The legal limit is 80.

Prosecutor Mr. Darren Watts told the court: "At approximately five am a silver VW Polo was seen by officers driving in an erratic manner.

"The vehicle was seen sideways across the road half-way down. The vehicle performed a multiple turn manoeuvre and the officers followed it a distance.

"The driver cut the corner of a roundabout and continued driving with the wheels over the lane dividers."

Police then stopped the car. "The driver of the vehicle had a strong smell of alcohol coming from him and he admitted he had had a drink."

Lineker failed the roadside breath-test and was arrested at 5.20am and taken to Hammersmith Police Station, where he was given the blood option.

Michelle Cockayne & Harry Lineker Arrive

Wearing a blue suit, white shirt and yellow tie Lineker, who arrived with his mother Michelle Cockayne, 48, told the court: "I had three pints with some friends the night before and went back to their house.

"I drove three hours later to get some food at McDonald's at the roundabout. I thought I was fine.

"I was obviously driving fairly erratically, but I thought I was fine. I was surprised when I was pulled over."

Lineker described himself as a student despite finishing his A levels two years ago and not going to university. He did not give details of any employment or experience in journalism despite his high ambitions of landing a job at the beeb.

"I'm trying to get a job in sport, this year. Looking for work.

"Anything in sport. I'm looking for different experiences. Trying to get a job at the BBC and journalism, any sport, preferably with football.

"I live with my mum," he told the court. "I don't get an allowance, I live at home and if I go out I get some money.

"I'm sorry, I apologise, i thought I was fine."

McDonald's, Smugglers Way

Deputy District Judge Devinder Sandhu told the first-time offender: "You have been incredibly foolish. The court takes drink-driving offences incredibly seriously.

"The consequences of people like you that drink and drive can be that people lose their lives and it is fortunate that there was not an accident or that you or anyone else were injured through your driving.

"Thankfully it was saturday morning and five am and there would not have been many people about at the time." 

Harry is a former-pupil of £34,000-a-year Charterhouse school, where he played up front for the football team and scored in a 2-0 win over Eton in 2011's Boodles Independent Schools Football Association Cup.

He is the second-eldest of the four son's Gary has with ex-wife Michelle, the other siblings are George, 22, Tobias, 18 and Angus, 16.

Ironically, Gary, 53, said earlier this year he keeps tabs on his two oldest son's driving with electronic 'black box' recorders he had fitted to their vehicles.

"Every now and again I will suddenly see something where they are driving too fast or they are braking too sharply," he explained.

Harry had a twitter dig at his famous father's ITV rival, presenter Adrian Chiles, during the World Cup, tweeting on June 16: "Adrian Chiles just doesn't have a clue. A presenter that hasn't played the sport is not a ting (sic)."