England’s all-time-leading scorer Wayne Rooney was arrested in the US accused of public intoxication and swearing at a Washington DC airport, it has emerged.
The former Manchester United star, who currently plays for the Major League Soccer team DC United in America, was taken into custody on 16 December in Virginia, according to court records. He was released on his own recognisance – a promise to appear in court, which means there was no need to post bail – and paid a $25 (£20) fine plus $91 costs on Friday.
A spokesman for the footballer said the arrest came after he was left “disorientated” by prescribed sleeping tablets that he took on a flight from Saudi Arabia following a one-day promotional business trip.
“During the flight Wayne took a prescribed amount of sleeping tablets mixed with some alcohol consumption and consequently was disorientated on arrival,” his spokesperson said.
“He was approached by police who arrested him on a minor misdemeanour charge. He received a statutory automatic fine and was released shortly afterwards at the airport. The matter is now at an end.
“Wayne would like to put on record his appreciation for the manner he was treated by all involved. No further comment will be made.”
Two days before the arrest at Washington’s Dulles airport he had posted an image online of himself in a car at the Riyadh Formula E championship race in Saudi Arabia.
#BreakingNews: DC United’s Wayne Rooney was arrested on public intoxication and swearing charges, sources tell @abc7news #MLS #DCUnited pic.twitter.com/W4KWnnDkcT
— Erin Hawksworth (@ABC7Erin) January 6, 2019
A spokesman for Loudoun County sheriff’s office in Virginia said: “He was booked into the Loudoun County adult detention centre on 16 December, 2018, on a charge of public intoxication stemming from an arrest by the Metropolitan Washington airports authority police (MWAA).
“He was later released on a personal recognisance bond.”
In September 2017, Rooney was banned from driving for two years and given a 12-month community order after pleading guilty to being almost three times over the drink drive limit during an incident in Alderley Edge, Cheshire. He was caught by police driving a woman’s Volkswagen Beetle.
Following the incident, Rooney issued a public apology for his “unforgivable lack of judgment”.
He added: “I have already said sorry to my family, my manager and chairman and everyone at Everton FC [his club at the time]. Now I want to apologise to all the fans and everyone else who has followed and supported me throughout my career.”
After playing for Everton he transferred to DC United and made his debut on 14 July last year.
