WATCH: CCTV shows Jack Grealish reversing into van, speeding and tailgating on M42
Video has been released showing the moments Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish reversed into a van and drove at nearly 100mph on the M42.
The England footballer has been banned from driving for nine months and fined £82,499 after crashing his high-powered Range Rover during March’s Covid-19 lockdown, while wearing mis-matched slippers.
CCTV footage of the lockdown incident was played to court showing what prosecutors said was the £80,000 4x4 being "reversed at speed" and crashing into a Citroen van, then "swerving" across the road and smashing into a Mercedes car, in a "side-swipe" collision.
The video also showed the Range Rover mounting a kerb and veering into a wall.
Part of this CCTV has now been released by West Midlands Police, along with footage showing Grealish driving at speeds faster than 90mph and tailgating a car on the M42.
WATCH the video here:
A judge was told a witness had said Grealish smelled of "intoxicating liquor", was unsteady on his feet and was slurring his words immediately after the early morning crash on March 29 but the judge said there was no evidence he had been drink driving.
In mitigation, Grealish's lawyer, John Dye, referred to a witness seeing the winger wearing odd-coloured slippers immediately after the collision, and put part of the reason for his client's driving down to his choice of "totally inappropriate footwear".
The Premier League star, of Barnt Green, Worcestershire, was involved in the incident less than 24 hours after issuing a Twitter video message urging people to stay at home to save lives and protect the NHS.
Grealish previously admitted a charge of careless driving in connection with the March 29 crash, which happened six days after lockdown restrictions were imposed nationwide.
The winger, who the judge was told takes home £55,000 a week, had also admitted a second charge of careless driving relating to allegations he drove without due care and attention on the M42 reaching speeds of up to 98mph, on October 18.
Mr Dye said Grealish was "running late for training".
Grealish already had six points on his licence after being convicted in October 2018 for speeding on a motorway on April 30, that same year.
Grealish was also ordered to pay costs of £220 and a victim surcharge of £181, bringing his total in costs and fines to £82,900 - all payable within seven days. The winger will also have to apply for a new licence, once his ban ends.
Grealish left the court without comment, accompanied by a minder, before getting into the rear passenger seat of his Range Rover - now sporting black bodywork since the March incident.
Earlier, Grealish had arrived at court ahead of his sentencing, wearing a dark suit, black tie, and a cream-coloured double-breasted coat, donning a black face-mask.
Moments before his arrival, his Range Rover had pulled up outside the main entrance in front of waiting photographers and camera crews.
The 4x4 briefly distracted the media's attention from the footballer - who just then arrived, separately, on foot, from a different direction.
Just seconds after Grealish walked into court, the male driver of the Range Rover emerged from the vehicle and handed a member of the waiting press a small box of Cadbury Milk Tray and said: “How long have you lads been waiting here?”
