Stoke City striker Saido Berahino has been found guilty of drink-driving, despite claims he was avoiding armed robbery in West London.
Saido Berahino Found Guilty in Drink-Driving Court Case
‘In Fear of Death or Fear of Serious Injury’
The former West Bromwich Albion striker claimed he was “in fear of death or fear of serious injury” when he committed the offence.
Berahino, 25, has been found guilty of drink-driving at Highbury Magistrates’ Court.
The striker claimed he was forced to flee the scene as he felt he was about to become a victim to London’s knife crime epidemic.
Following a meal with his girlfriend and friends, Berahino was found almost three times the drink-drive limit.
The court were also informed of Berahino’s previous convictions for drink-driving in 2015. The footballer was also found drunk in charge of a vehicle in 2012.
Magistrate Mark Oxenham said the defendant’s case had not been proved beyond reasonable doubt “that the defendant was not in fear of death or fear of serious injury to himself or his companions”.
Mr Oxenham also added that Berahino’s evidence was “inconsistent” and he had lied to police when he was first questioned.
When recalling the attack, Berahino said: “I tried to cover my face and just telling them ‘take everything, take everything, take everything’.
“I was scared just wondering where my friends are, where my niece is. I panicked, everything happened so fast.”
Saido Berahino informed the court that he was targeted due to being a well-known footballer. The former West Brom striker added:
“There had been knife crime, I believe, two weeks before that. There was a knife incident at a nightclub in central (London).”
The chair of the bench suggested Berahino’s girlfriend, who had not been drinking, could have driven the car.
However, the footballer’s girlfriend was not at court to give evidence in his defence. Sentencing has been adjourned for probation reports.
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