Drink-driving ex-Manchester United star Darron Gibson has tried to avoid completing his community service because of ‘pressing work commitments’ – even though the football season has finished and he has no club.
The shamed 31-year old, who is on holiday and without a club, had been ordered to do 250 hours unpaid work after he crashed his Mercedes 4×4 near Durham whilst three times the limit in March last year.
It was his second drink-driving offence since 2015 but the Republic of Ireland midfielder has only completed 77 hours since the community order was made in May last year.
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Drink-driving ex-Manchester United star Darron Gibson has tried to avoid completing his community service because of ‘pressing work commitments’ – even though the football season has finished and he has no club. Above: Gibson leaves South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court last year after crashing his Mercedes
Despite being without a club since being released by Wigan earlier this month, he claims his football career has left him ‘struggling’ to carry out the rest of the work.
After joining the Manchester-based club in August 2018, Gibson – who has also played for Everton and Sunderland – played just 18 times until his departure from the Championship club.
He was last seen on the subs bench during Wigan’s last Championship match against Millwall on May 5.
The shamed 31-year old, who is on holiday and without a club, had been ordered to do 250 hours unpaid work after he crashed his Mercedes 4×4 whilst three times the limit in March last year
Gibson, who lives in Hale, near Altrincham, had initially been facing jail for crashing his Mercedes.
He crashed into a taxi, five parked cars and a wall on St Patrick’s Day, March 17, while driving from his former flat in Durham to a physiotherapy session at previous club Sunderland.
He was breathalysed at the side of the road and gave a reading of 105 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.
A second reading showed 95mg and Gibson said he taken two sleeping tablets and drank from a one-litre bottle of vodka the night before the offence.
But the footballer was given a two-year community order with 250 hours of unpaid work after a district judge in Sunderland found him to be suffering from ‘significant psychological issues’.
It was his second drink-driving offence since 2015 but the Republic of Ireland midfielder has only completed 77 hours since the community order was made in May last year. Above: The scene after Gibson crashed into a taxi, five parked cars and a wall on St Patrick’s Day, March 17
Gibson said he had endured a ‘difficult childhood’ and was subjected to bullying.
At Manchester Magistrates Court this week a lawyer acting on Gibson’s behalf mounted a legal challenge urging that the footballer be let off doing the rest of his community service sentence.
It is thought to have involved picking up litter and painting fences.
He was breathalysed at the side of the road and gave a reading of 105 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg
However the request was refused after the court heard the father-of-two was not present for the hearing – due to him jetting off on a family holiday to Spain on May 22.
Magistrates said he would have time to carry out the work now the football season had finished.
He had been previously been banned from driving in 2015 when his car hit three cyclists who were repairing a wheel on the pavement.
He was 12 points over the alcohol limit and fled the scene.
This week the court heard Gibson had only completed 77.95 hours of the unpaid work and still has 172.05 hours still outstanding.
He had also only completed nine days of the 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days he was required to undergo as part of his sentence.
But his lawyer, Peter Grogan, said: ‘This is an application to remove an element of the community order.
A second reading showed 95mg and Gibson said he taken two sleeping tablets and drank from a one-litre bottle of vodka the night before the offence. But the footballer was only given a two-year community order with 250 hours of unpaid work
‘You will be aware that he has been engaging and has made good progress.
‘But whilst the progress has been good, due to pressing work commitments, he is struggling to meet the requirements of the order and still has one more year to go.
‘He apologises for not being here but he is on a family holiday.
‘It was a pre-booked holiday and he went to Spain on May 22. His training resumes next month.
Magistrates said: ‘On the basis of work commitments, the football season is coming to an end, so it is possible that he will have time.
‘The bench is mindful to refuse the application.’