Think before you drink, and don’t drink before you sit behind the wheel. Newcastle United’s Brazilian Joelinton hasn’t learned his lession in time, so he’ll get a full year to think about it. He’s been found guilty of driving a car while exceeding the prescribed limit for alcohol.Over the limit! Alcohol and driving don’t mix, JoelintonThe 26-year-old committed the offence an hour after midnight on 12 January near Newcastle’s city centre after consuming two glasses of wine. The midfielder pleaded guilty at Newcastle Magistrates Court and was given a 12-month driving ban, which can be reduced to nine months on the completion of a rehabilitation programme, and was fined a total of KSh4.6 million.##NAJAVA_MECA_6971197##The prosecution stated that police officers had noted a black Mercedes “perhaps speeding and going too fast for the road” and had followed Joelinton’s car to Newcastle’s Central Motorway, where he was stopped. Described as “fully cooperative” by the prosecution, he provided an initial reading of 50mg of alcohol per 100 ml of breath. The limit is 35mg. He was subsequently arrested and taken into custody, where he provided a second reading of 43mg.Joelinton’s solicitor Geoffrey Forrester, defending him, described the footballer as a “man of good character” who had consumed “two glasses of wine” and “genuinely thought he was fit to drive”. Forrester also confirmed that Joelinton was “genuinely sorry for everyone involved”. He will face “disciplinary procedures within the club once court proceedings are done”.🚨 Joelinton pleaded guilty to drink driving and has been fined £31,085 as well as being banned from driving for 12 months (reduced to 9 months if completing drink driving rehabilitation course)❕#NUFC pic.twitter.com/vjOcy6tgBf— NUFCTalk 🥇 (@Newcastle_FC) January 26, 2023 District Judge Paul Currer said that while it “could have had disastrous consequences for all involved”, he recognised that Joelinton “crucially provided a low reading of 43”, had displayed “no particular bad driving”, and “his cooperation is to his credit”. The fine was accordingly reduced by a third.Newcastle’s next game is at home against Southampton in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday, in which they hold a 1-0 lead. Joelinton scored the winning goal in the first leg on Tuesday.
