Hugo Lloris Fined £50,000 After Pleading Guilty to Drink-Driving Charge

Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has been handed a £50,000 fine and a 20-month driving ban after pleading guilty to a drink-driving charge.

Per Tristan Kirk of the Evening Standard, Lloris was arrested on August 24 after a breathalyser found him to be more than twice the legal limit.

Lloris' lawyer David Sonn said: "It is when you are drunk that you are most likely to make the foolish mistakes that he did. He made a terrible error."

Lloris, who was said to be "plainly drunk" by Sonn, will also have to pay £255 in court costs, and he can reduce the driving ban to 15 months by completing an awareness course.

The France captain had been on a night out in London with France team-mates Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny. He had booked a taxi to take him to Bagatelle restaurant in Mayfair, where the trio were "showered with hospitality," but drove himself when the car did not turn up.

Journalist Alexander Brown supplied further details on the incident:

Prosecutor Henry Fitch added that a police officer also had to help Lloris from his seat after he had been stopped. Fitch also stated there was evidence of vomit at the scene.

Magistrate Amanda Barron said: "This is a very serious offence. It is pure luck you didn't have an accident and cause damage to other cars of possibly pedestrians in the local area."

Goal's Harry Sherlock and football writer Andrew Gaffney both believe Lloris should no longer be Spurs' captain in light of the guilty plea, though they disagreed on how else the club should proceed:

A representative for the club was present at Westminster Magistrates court for the hearing, and Spurs have said they are treating the matter "extremely seriously," per Kirk.