Jermaine Pennant jailed for drink-driving
{{byline|date=March 1, 2005|location=[[w:Aylesbury, England|Aylesbury]], [[England]]}} The [[w:Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal F.C.]] midfielder [[w:Jermaine Pennant|Jermaine Pennant]], currently on loan to [[w:Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]], has today pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without [[w:auto insurance|insurance]] by [[w:Aylesbury|Aylesbury]] magistrates court. Pennant received a sentence of three months imprisonment. Pennant's lawyer, Bary Warbutton, has said that the footballer will appeal against the severity of the sentence.

The incident occurred on January 23 of this year, Pennant was arrested after crashing teammate [[w:Ashley Cole|Ashley Cole's]] car into a lamppost. The 22-year-old claimed that he crashed the car after attempting to operate the car's [[w:Satellite navigation|Satellite navigation]] system.

Despite the claim by Warbutton that imprisonment "could completely destroy his career", Birmingham City have said that they will stand by the player, and help to rehabilitate him. Arsenal released a statement saying that the sentence would not impact the player's future with the club; his contract with club expires in the summer, at the same time as his loan-spell with Birmingham ends.

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== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4307427.stm
 |title=Jail for drink-driving footballer
 |author=
 |pub=BBC
 |date=March 1, 2005}}

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[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Football (soccer)]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Europe]]
The Arsenal F.C. midfielder Jermaine Pennant, currently on loan to Birmingham City, has today pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving while disqualified, and driving without insurance by Aylesbury magistrates court. Pennant received a sentence of three months imprisonment. Pennant's lawyer, Bary Warbutton, has said that the footballer will appeal against the severity of the sentence.

The incident occurred on January 23 of this year, Pennant was arrested after crashing teammate Ashley Cole's car into a lamppost. The 22-year-old claimed that he crashed the car after attempting to operate the car's Satellite navigation system.

Despite the claim by Warbutton that imprisonment "could completely destroy his career", Birmingham City have said that they will stand by the player, and help to rehabilitate him. Arsenal released a statement saying that the sentence would not impact the player's future with the club; his contract with club expires in the summer, at the same time as his loan-spell with Birmingham ends.
Crime and law Football (soccer) United Kingdom Europe