Multi-Time Premier League Winner Pleads Guilty to Drug Possession
Raheem Sterling has admitted to possession of nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation and dangerous driving after crashing his Lamborghini on a U.K. highway in May.
The former Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal winger appeared at a magistrates court in Basingstoke, England on Tuesday to plead guilty.
Police had been called to the scene in the morning after Sterling moved into the central reservation dividing the highway before colliding into a metal gate at a turnout. A Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesperson told BBC Sport at the time of “a single vehicle collision, involving a Lamborghini, on the M3 southbound, close to the Minley Interchange [Hampshire], on May 28, 2026.
“No other vehicles were involved and no injuries were reported.”
Sterling accepted the charges of dangerous driving, possessing six canisters of nitrous oxide—a Class C drug commonly known as laughing gas—and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
The 31-year-old was sitting in the passenger seat, with the driver’s side empty, cradling two canisters on his lap when police arrived. An eye witness described Sterling’s conduct as “absolutely horrendous driving” during his court appearance.
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Potential Punishments Facing Raheem Sterling
The U.K. Highway Code states: “Parliament sets the maximum penalties for road traffic offenses. The seriousness of the offense is reflected in the maximum penalty. It is for the courts to decide what sentence to impose according to circumstances.”
The maximum penalty for “dangerous driving” is a two-year prison sentence, with an unlimited fine and obligatory disqualification of the licence.
U.K. Police outline the punishment for ‘drug driving’ as: “If you’re found to be over the drink-drive limit, and/or driving while impaired by drugs, you can receive:
- a criminal record
- a maximum penalty of six months in prison
- an unlimited fine
- an automatic driving ban of at least one year (three years if you have been convicted twice in 10 years)
“Other problems you may face include:
- an endorsement on your driving licence for 11 years
- an increased insurance premium
- if you drive for work, your employer will see your conviction on your licence
- trouble traveling to countries like the USA.”
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