Manchester City star forward Carlos Tevez is potentially facing prison time after he was arrested earlier this week for allegedly driving while disqualified.
According to Reuters , the 29-year-old striker was banned from driving for six months in January after his car was clocked speeding multiple times and he failed to respond to police letters in relation to the incidents.
Carlos was also fined a total of £1,540 ($2300) after the court heard he did not answer letters from Lancashire and Cheshire constabularies asking for information on who was driving his car when it was caught speeding.
Tevez’s legal team, however, argued that the Manchester City player didn’t understand the letters sent relating to the offenses.
“He does understand the word ‘police’, but not more complicated words,” explained Tevez’s solicitor (lawyer) Gwyn Lewis. “The letters are written from Cheshire Constabulary and the word police doesn’t appear on it anywhere.”
On Thursday, Tevez was arrested after he was caught driving near his home in Alderley Edge, Cheshire.
Cheshire police released the following statement regarding the incident:
“At 5.13pm on Thursday March 7 police arrested a 29-year-old man from Alderley Edge on the A538 in Macclesfield on suspicion of driving while disqualified. He has since been released on police bail.”
The Guardian notes that driving while disqualified (which is similar to driving with a suspended license in the United States) is considered a serious offense with a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a £5,000 ($7500) fine.
The courts also often assigned offenders community service or anti-social behavior orders.