EX-MAN Utd footballer Nicky Butt has been banned from driving for 12 months after admitting causing serious injury by careless driving.
The football hero smashed into victim Andrew Fielden while driving carelessly in his Land Rover Defender through Burnley, Lancashire.
Nicky Butt leaving Blackburn Magistrates’ Court in East LancashirePA
Butt leaving Blackburn Magistrates’ Court after being banned from driving for 12 monthsPA
Butt was part of the Class of 92 squad
ANDREW CHAMBERLAINAndrew spent two weeks in hospital and needed an operation to insert a metal rod into his mangled left leg[/caption]
He suffered a broken left leg, which needed metal rods inserted following an operation, and severe bruising.
Butt appeared at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court earlier this year where he admitted causing serious injury by careless driving.
He has now been banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work at Blackburn Magistrates Court.
Former England star Butt, 49, was handed am interim driving ban following the October 2022 crash.
The court heard Butt, who was picking up at his son at the time, suffered a “momentary lapse of concentration”.
John Dye, the barrister representing Butt, read a letter from the ex-England international, to Mr Fielding.
Mr Dye said Butt had stayed at the scene after the crash, had no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty.
It said: “I have not stopped thinking about the accident and the effect it must have had on you and your family. 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.
“If I could go back and change the events of that journey I would.
“I hope you can put this accident behind you. I could not be more sorry. I can only hope you can take this letter for what it is, heartfelt.”
John Dye, defending the ex-footballer, had said: “The loss of his licence is going to be extremely inconvenient to him and his family but that is the inevitable consequence of this case.”
Mr Fielden chose not to share a victim impact statement and said previously he does not have “any ill feeling to the other party”.
He said Butt already does voluntary work with released prisoners and passed on “glowing” references, not read out in court, to the judge.
Mr Dye asked for a fine for the defendant, saying him taking part in unpaid work as part of a community order would be a “distraction” for others on the course and create difficulties for the Probation Service.
But District Judge Alex Preston said Butt should not be treated differently to defendants.
She told Butt: “I have no doubt you deeply regret what happened and feel genuine remorse.
“I do feel the case is serious enough for a community order. It is a matter for Probation how a community order is managed.
“It doesn’t seem to me you should be treated as an exceptional case because of your means.
“You have been unable to explain why you did not see the victim on his motorbike. You should not have pulled out at this junction.
“This was a serious error by you. All drivers must ‘Think bike’ at junctions.
“It is accepted by all parties however that this chain of events was set in motion by a momentary lapse of concentration by you.”
Prosecutor Graeme Tindall previously told the court: “What appears to have happened is a number of vehicles pass what appears to look like a HGV.
“Mr Butt having let the HGV come past, pulls out and this is when Mr Fielden is coming past on the motorcycle.”
The court previously heard that Mr Fielden was left with no memory of the crash other than waking up in hospital “in immense pain”.
Butt was an instrumental part of Alex Ferguson’s youth team – rising through the ranks with David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and the Nevilles.
The midfielder started his professional career stepping in for Roy Keane as a sub before he landing a full-time spot when Paul Ince left in 1995.
Along with the rest of the Class of ’92, Butt helped Utd win countless trophies as the club became a dominant force.
This included the Champions League Final in 1999, where the Red Devils made history by winning the treble.
By the time he left in 2004, the footballer had helped Utd win six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a Champions League trophy
Butt later had spells at Newcastle and Birmingham City before moving into management in 2016 for Utd’s U23 team.
In 2014, he bought Salford City along with Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Gary and Phil Neville.
ANDREW CHAMBERLAINOur pictures show the Man Utd legend moments after the crash involving his £100,000 Land Rover Defender[/caption]
He played 270 games for Utd during his 12 years on the senior team