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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Tristan Kirk

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner hit with driving ban for speeding

Oliver Glasner has been banned from driving for six months (Lee Keuneke/PA) - (PA Wire)

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has been disqualified from driving for six months after being caught exceeding a 20mph speed limit in London.

The 51-year-old, an FA Cup-winning boss, was detected by a speed camera driving his BMW at 29mph on the Old Kent Road in Bermondsey last July, where the designated speed limit is 20mph.

Court records reveal that Glasner already had previous driving offences on his record, which meant that the additional penalty points from this incident triggered an automatic ban.

The Austrian football manager formally wrote to Willesden Magistrates’ Court to enter a guilty plea for the speeding offence.

He also submitted a handwritten note to the court, expressing his remorse and vowing not to re-offend, choosing not to attempt to persuade magistrates to spare him a driving ban.

Glasner apologised and has accepted the ban (Getty)

In his note, Glasner stated: "I fully accept responsibility for my actions and understand the seriousness of this matter. I have taken steps to ensure it will not happen again. Due to the nature of my role, I will ensure I take the steps to address the issue."

His acknowledgement of responsibility underscored his acceptance of the impending penalty.

A magistrate, hearing the case in private under the Single Justice Procedure, formally imposed the six-month driving ban on Glasner last Tuesday.

Alongside the disqualification, the manager was ordered to pay a £660 fine, an additional £130 in court costs, and a £264 victim surcharge, bringing the total financial penalty to over £1,000.

The specific incident occurred just before 7.30am on July 15 last year, as Glasner’s vehicle passed through traffic lights located opposite a Tesco supermarket on the Old Kent Road.

The prosecution was brought forward by the Metropolitan Police. The force informed the court that Glasner had initially attempted to resolve the matter by paying a fixed penalty fine.

However, as case worker Emily Delroy explained in a statement: "Payment was made and licence details provided for electronic endorsement, however, the additional penalty points would have resulted in the total current points on the licence being 12 or more."

Consequently, she added: "A refund has been requested and the matter was referred to the prosecution team for a single justice notice to be issued."

Crystal Palace are due to face Tottenham on Thursday night (Adam Davy/PA) (PA Wire)

Glasner formally pleaded guilty in writing on January 27. In a subsequent letter to the court dated February 16, he explicitly accepted that a driving ban would be imposed without the necessity of an open court hearing.

The details of the case have now been made public this week, following access granted to court documents by the Press Association.

The Crystal Palace manager was among a significant number of motorists, 1,089 in total, who were prosecuted last week for breaching 20mph speed limits across London.

Magistrates issued fines collectively exceeding £157,000 and imposed 27 driving bans in similar cases during the same period, highlighting a widespread enforcement effort.

At the time the news of the ban emerged, Glasner's side was preparing to face Tottenham in a crucial Premier League match, adding a layer of off-field distraction for the club.

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