Ashley Young azuiwa kuendesha miezi SITA

 Ashley Young was banned from driving at a court hearing today [PA]

ENGLAND star Ashley Young has today been banned from driving for six months after he was caught speeding.

The Manchester United star admitted driving in his Range Rover Vogue at 71mph on a 50mph section of the M6 Toll last March.

The 28-year-old already had nine points on his licence after being convicted of speeding at 100mph on the M62 in West Yorkshire.

He was given six points for that offence last January plus another three points for another unspecified incident in 2011.

Today at Warwickshire Justice Centre in Leamington Spa, he was handed another four penalty points, making him liable for a ban under the rules on "totting-up" points.

Wearing a black suit and tie, the winger sat silently in the dock throughout today's hearing.

Speaking before sentencing, in mitigation, his defence solicitor, Frances Coles-Harrington, said that at the time Young's Range Rover Vogue was clocked by a speed camera near the M6 Toll's junction with the M42 in Warwickshire at 10am on March 7, the road was "quiet".

"He was driving on the toll road, it was quiet, and the speed was normally 70mph but had been reduced but not for anything in relation to an accident or any matter like that," she said.

 
Ashley Young scoring against Cardiff City at Old Trafford on Tuesday [PA]

Ms Coles-Harrington also criticised the Crown Prosecution Service's application for £405 costs, claiming that he was unfairly targeted because of his fame. 

"Just because Mr Young is who he is, £405 for an indication of a guilty plea - if it was another member of the public here today, they'd be hit with the usual application for £85 costs for a guilty plea, not £405."

This was disputed by the prosecution who said that the figure was derived because preparations had begun for a trial. 

Naila Iqbal, for the prosecution, said: "In relation to the court costs, those were calculated for an indicated guilty plea a day before trial so preparation for that trial had already been carried out - costs awarded after trial would be £625.

"So, whether it is Mr Young of Manchester United or a member of the public, the costs would have been the same."

Ms Coles-Harrington also urged the magistrates' bench to impose the minimum disqualification period, "because of his need for visiting his young children".

"Mr Young has family and two young children living in the South and his career takes him into the North of England," she said.