Roberto Firmino fined and banned for a year after admitting drink-driving charge
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Roberto Firmino Fined £20k For Drinking while Driving
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On the early hours of Christmas Eve, Roberto Firmino was pulled over while driving in Liverpool’s city centre and found to be intoxicated. Today, he had his day in court, pleading guilty to the offence and accepting a fine and suspended license as a result of the incident.
Firmino will be barred from driving for a year, though that could later be shortened to nine months. The judge accepted there were mitigating circumstances that contributed to Firmino’s poor decisions but that, in the end, they did not change the fact he made a potentially dangerous error in judgement.
“I apologise, without reservation, to the club, the manager, my teammates and the supporters for putting myself in this situation,” read a statement from the player. “What I have done is wrong and sets a bad example. I will learn from this mistake, learn from this experience, and not repeat it in the future.”
Beyond setting a bad example, it should go without saying Fimino’s choices had the potential to endanger innocent members of the public, though fortunately on this occasion there is only the person who will face any consequences from his decision to drive while intoxicated.
The day before the incident, Firmino’s house had been broken into by armed robbers, and Firmino, fearing for their safety, had moved his family to a downtown hotel in the aftermath. The judge accepted that this will have caused Firmino “considerable anxiety and stress” and contributed to his poor judgement.
It didn’t, however, change that he was still responsible for his actions, which the player admitted when entering a guilty plea. Though no details have been released, it has been reported that Firmino rarely drinks and was not over the legal limit by an excessive amount.
“The player has been disciplined by the club for his actions and reminded of his responsibilities for the present and the future,” was the club’s statement on the matter. “The nature of this action will remain private, however it does not impact on his availability for selection in matches.
“The club considers this to be an isolated incident, and a rare lapse in judgement and professionalism. We will work with the player to further educate him on the dangers associated with drink driving specifically.”