Dwight Yorke admits speeding at 85mph

The 36-year-old Trinidad & Tobago international was seen by a police officer in an unmarked car on the A66 near Middlesbrough

Sunderland footballer Dwight Yorke has been given three points on his licence after pleading guilty to driving at 85mph.

Yorke, who was represented by celebrity barrister Nick Freeman when he appeared at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, had been returning home from a holiday last year when the incident occurred.

The 36-year-old Trinidad & Tobago international was seen by a police officer in an unmarked car on the A66 near Middlesbrough.

The officer radioed a colleague ahead to check Yorke's speed and the footballer was pulled over.

Mr Freeman said his client had disagreed with the initial speed suggested by the officer.

He said a disagreement over this at the roadside meant that Yorke had not signed the documentation at the time.

However, he added that the footballer accepted he had been travelling faster than the road's 70mph speed limit and asked the court to take into consideration his guilty plea for the 85mph charge.

Yorke was given three penalty points on his licence and ordered to pay £150 costs and a £150 fine.

Noting that he now had a total of nine points on his licence, District Judge Stephen Earl warned the player that a further driving offence could mean the loss of his licence.