Premier League star found guilty of driving offence

Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe in action [COURTESY]

Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe has been found guilty of failing to stop at the scene of a road traffic accident last year.

The former Liverpool player crashed his white Bentley through the front of The Pantry, on Plaistow Lane in Bromley, at 4am last July, causing around £15,000 worth of damage, while he also hit a parked Mercedes.

A woman living above the cafe told Bexley Magistrates' Court that Ibe left immediately, and police reportedly only managed to get in touch with the player after an officer told Bournemouth he would have no choice but to arrest the 24-year-old at a match.

This is not the first time Ibe has been in trouble for on-road offences, and he has been served with an interim disqualification from driving.

He is set to be sentenced at Bromley Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, March 3.

Pc Nicholas Brown, who is in charge of the case, told the court: "I contacted the football club and spoke to their player liaison and explained the situation.

"There was still no contact so I spoke to the football club again and advised them if I did not have contact with the next few days I would arrest him at a football match, this had the desired effect.”

In a prepared statement, Ibe told investigators he didn't realise he had broken the law, saying: "I assume because of the time of day, there was nobody around with whom I could exchange details and hence, after waiting, I drove away from the scene.

"Unaware of the fact that I was under a duty to report the matter to the police as soon as reasonably practicable, and not knowing whether or not the local police stations as open, I thought it would acceptable to visit the cafe the following day, try to exchange details there and then."

Ibe has been at Bournemouth since 2016, but has barely featured this season, making just two Premier League appearances.