Raheem Sterling Pleads Guilty to Dangerous Driving and Drug Possession

Raheem Sterling has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after crashing a Lamborghini on a series of motorways earlier this year.

The former England forward admitted at Basingstoke magistrates court on Tuesday to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on the M25, the M3 and the A327 before a collision on 28 May. The incident ended in a single-vehicle crash, with police confirming no one else was involved and no injuries were reported.

Sterling, 31, also admitted possessing six nitrous oxide canisters for wrongful inhalation – a class C drug – and failing to provide a specimen when requested. He appeared in the Hampshire courtroom wearing a black suit jacket, black trousers, black shoes and a dark top, cutting a subdued figure as the charges were read.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary had previously outlined the circumstances, stating that officers were called to the M3 southbound near the Minley interchange on 28 May after a Lamborghini left the carriageway. The case has now moved into the sentencing phase following Sterling’s guilty pleas.

Career Highlights

The court appearance marks a stark contrast to the heights of Sterling’s career. Once a central figure for Gareth Southgate’s England, he scored 20 goals in 82 appearances for his country and played a key role in the run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the Euro 2020 final.

His club journey has been one of English football’s defining modern stories. Raised in the academy at QPR, Sterling burst through at Liverpool, making his senior debut as a teenager and quickly establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s brightest young talents.

Manchester City made their move in 2015. At the Etihad he became a serial winner, collecting four Premier League titles, five League Cups and the FA Cup in 2019, while evolving into a consistent attacking force under Pep Guardiola.

The momentum faded after a big switch to Chelsea in 2022. Sterling struggled to hold down a regular place, and by the 2024-25 season he was out on loan at Arsenal, searching for rhythm and minutes rather than medals.

He left Stamford Bridge earlier this year and took an unexpected route to revive his career, signing a short-term deal with Dutch side Feyenoord until the end of the season. That spell has now finished. Sterling is currently without a club and facing a very different kind of scrutiny.

Off the Pitch

Off the pitch, his influence has stretched far beyond goals and trophies. In the 2021 Queen’s birthday honours, Sterling was made an MBE for services to racial equality in sport, recognition for his outspoken stance against racism and his role in fronting high-profile anti-discrimination campaigns.

Now, with his future on the field uncertain and his conduct on the road under the spotlight, the next move for one of England’s most prominent modern footballers will unfold not in a stadium, but in a courtroom and in the decisions that follow.