Manchester United icon Nicky Butt banned from driving for 12 months for breaking motorcyclist’s leg
Nicky Butt has been banned from driving due to a crash which injured a motorcyclist in 2022.
The former Manchester United midfielder learned his fate at Blackburn Magistrates' Court after the incident which left 28-year-old Adam Fielding with a broken leg.
Butt has been banned for 12 months, and ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work, while he also had to pay a £140 government surcharge and £85 costs.
The incident occurred on October 17, 2022, and led to a two-week stay in hospital for Mr. Fielding.
The victim had to have metal rods placed in his leg, lost his job, is in constant pain and is suffering with psychological damage, the court was told.
Butt was effusive in his apology in a statement read to the court, as he said: "I have not stopped thinking about the accident and the effect it must have had on you and your family.
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"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, the barrister representing Butt, said that he stayed at the scene after the crash, has no prior convictions, and has glowing references from his community service.
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District Judge Alex Preston responded: "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."