Jordan Pickford caught driving carelessly, faces court
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was pulled over by police after nearly causing a crash by ignoring a give-way sign, then speeding off from the scene, reports BritPanorama.
The 32-year-old was driving his blue Lamborghini Urus, valued at £165,000, when the incident occurred on April 14 near his home.
Pickford entered a guilty plea online last Friday and is due before Chester magistrates’ court on December 7, where he is expected to contest a potential driving ban.
PC Cecil Ricardo of Cheshire Constabulary spotted Pickford’s vehicle as he was exiting Knutsford police station. In his written witness statement, he noted that the Lamborghini “reached the junction with Toft Road, completely ignored the give way lines and pulled onto Toft Road, causing two vehicles to slam on their brakes to avoid a collision.”
The supercar then accelerated along Toft Road, prompting PC Ricardo to activate his emergency lights and sirens in pursuit. The officer reported that, at one point during the chase, his vehicle’s speedometer indicated he was travelling at 50mph while the Lamborghini continued to speed away, even though the road had a 30mph limit.
According to PC Ricardo, the driver “must have seen and heard” the sirens before finally coming to a stop. Pickford identified himself but “made no reply” when cautioned. He was formally charged under the Single Justice Procedure by Cheshire Police on September 23, a process that allows minor traffic offences to be handled in a more streamlined manner, away from public scrutiny.
In his online plea, Pickford expressed the desire to attend court for mitigation. The offence of driving without due care and attention carries a penalty of three to nine points on a driving licence, or a discretionary ban. Since his debut in the 2018 World Cup, Pickford has been England’s first-choice goalkeeper, earning 91 international caps to date.
Having moved to Everton from Sunderland in 2017 for a fee of £25 million, the goalkeeper reinforced his commitment to the club last October by signing a contract extension until 2029. This incident took place just days after he played in Everton’s 2-2 draw against Brentford and shortly before their 2-1 loss to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
Pickford’s Lamborghini Urus is renowned for its speed, being able to reach 62mph in under four seconds and has a maximum speed of 190mph. The episode serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities that come with both fame and high performance on and off the pitch, highlighting how swiftly a moment can escalate into a serious concern.
