Raheem Sterling has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, possession of nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a blood specimen following a motorway crash involving his Lamborghini in May. The former England, Manchester City and Chelsea winger appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on September 15, with the case now adjourned until November 25 for sentencing.
The 31-year-old has already been disqualified from driving while he waits for the next hearing. No one was injured in the incident and no other vehicle was involved in the eventual crash, but prosecutors told the court that Sterling's driving before the collision fell into the most serious category of dangerous driving.
What happened to Raheem Sterling?
The case relates to the morning of May 28, when Sterling was driving a Lamborghini Urus through southern England. The court heard that his journey included the M25, M3, A327 and Minley Road before the car eventually left the road and struck roadside property.
According to the prosecution, other motorists reported seeing the Lamborghini moving erratically during rush hour. Dashcam footage shown in court captured the vehicle weaving between lanes and swerving on the M3, at one point coming close to the central reservation. A witness also reported seeing Sterling inhaling from a large balloon while he was behind the wheel, with other drivers having to brake during the incident.
After leaving the motorway, the Lamborghini struck what prosecutors described as a sign or gate. Police later found Sterling at the crashed vehicle, and he told officers that he had not slept during the previous night. The collision did not involve another vehicle and police reported no injuries.
What charges did Sterling plead guilty to?
Sterling admitted three offences at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court: dangerous driving, possession of nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a blood specimen. Sky Sports reported that the possession charge concerned six nitrous oxide canisters. Nitrous oxide is controlled as a Class C drug in the UK when possessed unlawfully for its psychoactive effect.
The dangerous-driving charge is the most significant when it comes to the possible sentence. Sterling did not contest the allegations at the September hearing, meaning the next stage of the case is focused on sentencing rather than determining whether the offences took place.
A pre-sentence report will now be prepared before Sterling returns to court on November 25. Such reports can give the court information about an offender's circumstances and assist the judge when deciding the appropriate punishment.
Could Raheem Sterling go to prison?
A custodial sentence is legally possible, but it is important to distinguish that from saying Sterling will definitely be sent to prison. Dangerous driving under the Road Traffic Act carries a maximum sentence of two years' custody, while the official sentencing range stretches from a community order up to two years depending on the seriousness of the offence.
Prosecutor Simon Jones told the court that Sterling's case fell into the most serious category of dangerous driving and said that category carries a sentencing range of between one and two years in custody. The court has not yet decided whether it agrees with every aspect of the prosecution's assessment or what final sentence should be imposed.
The sentencing guidelines require the court to consider both culpability and harm. Factors that can increase culpability include driving while impaired by drugs, prolonged dangerous driving, significant lack of attention and driving while deprived of adequate sleep. Harm can also be affected by damage to property, even when nobody is physically injured.
Sterling's lawyer, Jason Bartfeld, told the court there was significant personal mitigation, although the details were not disclosed at the hearing. He also argued that the Lamborghini itself had suffered only superficial damage apart from four blown tyres. Those arguments, together with Sterling's guilty pleas and the information contained in the pre-sentence report, can be considered before the judge decides the final punishment.
Has Sterling already been banned from driving?
Yes. Judge Kirsty Allman disqualified Sterling from driving while the case is awaiting sentence and released him on unconditional bail until the November hearing. The final length of any driving ban will form part of the sentencing process.
Dangerous driving normally carries an obligatory disqualification of at least one year under the sentencing guidelines, together with a compulsory extended driving test before the offender can regain a full licence. The eventual period can be longer depending on the sentence and circumstances of the offence.
The temporary position is therefore straightforward: Sterling cannot currently drive, but the full punishment has not yet been decided.
Why was nitrous oxide involved in the case?
Nitrous oxide, sometimes referred to as laughing gas, became part of the prosecution because witnesses said Sterling had been inhaling from a balloon while driving. The court heard that the balloon was large enough to obscure much of his view through the windscreen, while police later recovered nitrous oxide canisters following the crash.
Sterling pleaded guilty to possessing six canisters for wrongful inhalation. That offence is separate from the dangerous-driving charge, but the circumstances surrounding the gas can also be relevant when the court considers the overall seriousness of his driving.
The prosecution's case is therefore not based simply on the fact that a high-performance car crashed. It concerns the manner of Sterling's driving over a period of time before the collision, the reported use of nitrous oxide, his lack of sleep and his subsequent failure to provide a blood specimen.
When will Raheem Sterling be sentenced?
Sterling is due to return to court on November 25, 2026. The judge adjourned sentencing so that a pre-sentence report could be prepared, and no final penalty has yet been announced.
That means reports claiming that Sterling has already received a prison sentence would be incorrect. He has pleaded guilty and has been disqualified from driving pending sentence, but the court still has to decide whether the final punishment involves immediate custody, a suspended sentence, another form of sentence or a combination of penalties.
The distinction matters because sentencing guidelines provide ranges rather than automatic outcomes. Even where an offence is placed in a serious category, the judge must take account of the guilty plea, mitigation, the circumstances of the offence and the applicable sentencing rules before reaching a final decision.
What is Sterling's current football situation?
Sterling is currently without a club. After leaving Chelsea by mutual consent, he joined Feyenoord on a short-term contract in February and remained with the Dutch side until the end of last season. He has not signed for another club since that deal expired.
The winger won four Premier League titles during his time with Manchester City and scored 20 goals in 82 appearances for England. He also represented Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal during a career that placed him among the most prominent English players of his generation.
For now, however, the immediate question surrounding Sterling is away from football. His guilty pleas have settled the question of criminal liability for the three offences, but the most important part of the court case remains unresolved: the sentence he will receive when he returns to Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on November 25.
Published by Patrick Jane
16.09.2026