Former England footballer Raheem Sterling has admitted dangerous driving on a motorway after he crashed a Lamborghini into a metal gate in May. The 31-year-old, from Berkshire, also admitted possessing nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation, and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

Sterling, who appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court, was arrested after crashing near the M3 in Hampshire on the morning of 28 May. Sterling has 82 England caps, the last of which was won at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Sterling, the former England winger, pleaded guilty to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on the M25, the M3, the A327 and Minley Road before he crashed. The court heard he strayed into the central reservation of the motorway and crashed into a metal gate in a layby on the A327.

He was in possession of six canisters of nitrous oxide, a Class C drug. Sterling arrived at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on Tuesday afternoon.

Witnesses described seeing a Lamborghini driver inhaling from a white balloon. Fiona Jennings, who saw the vehicle on the M3 at 8:45 BST, said she looked across and thought that an airbag had inflated, but then realised it was an inflated balloon. She told police she saw "absolutely horrendous driving" as the Lamborghini swerved in and out of lanes.

Hampshire Police previously said the charges followed a single-vehicle collision near the M3 southbound, near the Minley interchange. The force said no other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported.

Sterling most recently played for Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivisie, having left Chelsea in January, but made just eight appearances in the Netherlands. In four years at Chelsea - including a season-long loan at Arsenal - he made 59 league appearances after signing from Manchester City in 2022.

With City, he won four Premier League titles, having started his senior career with Liverpool before moving to Manchester in 2015. He is currently without a club.

In the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours, Sterling was made an MBE for services to racial equality in sport. Sterling will appear in court on 25 November, and has been disqualified from driving in the interim.

Sterling charged with dangerous driving after crash.

Sterling arrested on suspicion of drug-driving.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service