London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Ex-footballer Dean Saunders jailed for refusing breath test

Ex-footballer Dean Saunders jailed for refusing breath test

"Arrogant" Dean Saunders was told he thought his public profile entitled him to be "above the law".

Ex-Liverpool striker Dean Saunders has been jailed for 10 weeks for refusing to provide a roadside breath test.

The BT Sport pundit, 55, was stopped by police on suspicion of drink-driving in Boughton, Chester, on 10 May.

Saunders, who was capped by Wales 75 times, was slurring and had to prop himself up against his Audi A8 car when he was asked to get out of the vehicle, Chester Magistrates' Court heard.

Jailing Saunders, District Judge Nicholas Sanders called him "arrogant".

Outside court, Conor Johnstone, defending Saunders, said his client would be appealing against the sentence as he believed it was excessive.

Saunders was refused bail and his application to appeal will be heard at the crown court at a later date to be fixed, Mersey Cheshire Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed.

Saunders, who was sent straight to prison, was "in shock" and "disappointed" with the sentence, his lawyer said.


'Above the law'

The former Derby County, Oxford United and Aston Villa forward, of The Paddocks in Whitegate, Cheshire, told the court he had been at Chester Races and had drunk two pints.

The court heard how at about 00:45 BST a police patrol spotted Saunders' car driving at speed and failing to give way at a roundabout, causing another vehicle to brake.

He was arrested for failing to provide a breath test and taken to a police station when he again refused to comply.

His lawyer suggested the alcohol might have "interacted" with the medication he takes for injury to his knees and for his asthma.

Judge Sanders said: "Throughout these proceedings you have shown yourself to be arrogant, thinking you are someone whose previous and current role in the public eye entitles you to be above the law.

"In fact the opposite is true - someone in the public eye should expect a deterrent sentence when they flout the law."

Saunders had initially denied failing to comply with a roadside breath test and failing to provide a sample at a police station, but later pleaded guilty.

He was also banned from driving for 30 months and ordered to pay court costs of £620.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×