Former England star banned from driving over crash

Former Manchester United and England footballer Nicky Butt has been banned from driving over a crash which left a motorcyclist with a broken leg.

Blackburn Magistrates’ Court heard the 49-year-old was driving his Range Rover when he pulled out in front of Adam Fielding's Honda motorbike in Burnley at about 20:10 BST on 17 October 2022.

In a victim impact statement, the 28-year-old told the court he had had "almost two years of constant pain" and had lost his "physical" job as a result of his injuries.

Butt, of Bowdon in Greater Manchester, admitted causing serious injury by careless driving at an earlier hearing and was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work.

The court was told Mr Fielding suffered a broken left leg and other injuries, spending two weeks in hospital after the crash.

It heard he had to have metal rods inserted in his leg, lost his job as a supervisor with Screwfix due to him being unable to do "physical" work and had been left in a "dark place", dealing with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In his statement, Mr Fielding said what happened had affected his independence, and his relationship with his girlfriend, who became his "carer".

He said he had lost his social life and he will have to live for the rest of his life with metal rods in his left leg.

"The accident has had a significant impact on all areas of my life," he said.

"I have had almost two years of constant pain and I am likely to be in pain for the rest of my life, and I am unable to do things I used to enjoy.

"I feel like I am spending my life planning around the pain and what I am physically able to do."

Butt's barrister John Dye read a letter from the ex-footballer, who currently works as Salford City chief executive, to Mr Fielding.

"I have not stopped thinking about the accident and the effect it must have had on you and your family," he wrote.

"I am truly sorry about the accident.

"I never set out to hurt anybody that night.

"What happened was a total accident. I checked and checked and checked again."

Butt added that he hoped Mr Fielding could "put this accident behind you".

"I could not be more sorry," he wrote.

"I can only hope you can take this letter for what it is, heartfelt."

Mr Dye said Butt had stayed at the scene after the crash, had no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty.

He added that the ex-footballer already did voluntary work with released prisoners and passed on "glowing" references, not read out in court, to the judge.

Sentencing Butt, District Judge Alex Preston dismissed Mr Dye's request for his client to be fined to avoid being a "distraction" to others doing unpaid work.

She said Butt should not be treated differently to other defendants, but accepted he deeply regretted what happened and felt genuine remorse.

"You have been unable to explain why you did not see the victim on his motorbike," she said.

"You should not have pulled out at this junction.

"This was a serious error by you.

"All drivers must ‘Think bike’ at junctions."

Butt was banned from driving for 12 months, ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and told to pay a £140 surcharge and £85 costs.

Butt, who was a member of Manchester United's famous "Class of '92" team with David Beckham and Gary Neville, won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a Champions League trophy with the club.

He made 39 appearances for England and had spells at Newcastle United, Birmingham City and a brief stint in China before retiring from playing and returning to United as a coach.

In 2014, he was part of a player-led consortium that bought Salford City and became the club's chief executive in 2022.

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