Wayne Rooney Slapped With Staggering £300k Everton Fine After Drink-Driving Conviction

Everton will slap Wayne Rooney with a staggering £300,000 fine after he was found guilty of drink-driving during the September international break.

The Daily Mail has reported that the forward will be hit with the punishment, which is equivalent to two weeks' worth of wages, after he was convicted of being three times over the legal limit on 1st September.

Rooney was banned from driving for two years and told to give 100 hours' worth of community service for his latest off-the-field misdemeanour after he pleaded guilty to the charge at Stockport Magistrates' Court on Monday.

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The 31-year-old had argued that he should be spared community service due to the severity of his impending fine from the Toffees, but his request was thrown out by the judge - his reasoning being that a solitary fine was too lenient for the crime.

Rooney released a statement in the wake of his conviction, and offered his apologies to the club's fans for letting them down just two months after he rejoined his boyhood club from Manchester United.

The ex-England captain said: "Following today's court hearing I want publicly to apologise for my unforgivable lack of judgement in driving while over the legal limit. It was completely wrong.

"I have already said sorry to my family, my manager and chairman and everyone at Everton FC. Now I want to apologise to all the fans and everyone else who has followed and supported me throughout my career.

"Of course I accept the sentence of the court and hope that I can make some amends through my community service."

Rooney was arrested in Cheshire in the early hours of Saturday 1st September after he was initially pulled over by police for a faulty tail-light. Further controversy has followed after he was alleged to have been out partying with an office worker - Laura Simpson - whilst his pregnant wife Coleen was on holiday with his three sons.

Rooney's behaviour has done little to help Everton's current nightmare run of form, with the Blues in the midst of a five-match winless run ahead of Wednesday's Carabao Cup contest with Sunderland.