Coca-Cola Divisions: Fernandes faces Jail

Southampton winger Fabrice Fernandes spoke of his "regret" after he was warned he faced jail for driving dangerously.

Fernandes, 24, who admitted the charge, was nearly twice over the legal alcohol limit as he drove through a total of nine red traffic lights with a police patrol car in hot pursuit.

At one point he narrowly missed a bus.

The French player, who had a number of passengers in his Porsche Cayenne, was finally forced to a halt in Tottenham Court Road, central London.

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Southampton's Fabrice Fernandes narrowly escaped jail on Wednesday after ignoring a string of red traffic lights during a police chase.

The winger, who was nearly twice the drink-drive limit in his Porsche Cayenne, was fined £10,000 and given a two-year driving ban.

Fernandes is said to have "panicked'' when pursuing officers switched on their blue lights, and jumped four sets of signals, London's Southwark Crown Court heard.

The 24-year-old Frenchman stood with his head bowed as Judge George Bathurst-Norman said the circumstances of the case, although "extremely serious'', meant he could just avoid sending him to prison.

"I give you credit for the fact that from the very outset of this matter you have acknowledged your guilt.''

Had he pleaded not guilty to the dangerous driving count he faced, jail would have been inevitable.

It was "perhaps to your good fortune'' no-one had made a note just how fast he had been travelling or knew why a bus had screeched to a halt at one point during the mile-long chase through central London.


How did he get away with it, oh yeah because he plays football.

Man he was lucky to get away with it. I hope he learns his lesson.

He won't, probably will drive while banned as well.