Marcus Bent faces speeding charge

Footballer Marcus Bent has been charged with speeding down the M5 motorway at up to 120mph.

The striker, who has just returned to Birmingham City Football Club following a loan spell with Wolves, is charged with speeding in a Bentley on the M5 at Junction 2 for Oldbury at 6pm on October 2 last year.

He did not appear at Warley Magistrates Court yesterday but entered a not guilty plea in absence to the charge of speeding in excess of 70mph on the motorway limit.

The plea came in a letter from Bent's solicitors. He is due to appear at Warley Magistrates Court on March 21 for trial.

Chris Kershaw, spokesman for Birmingham City Football Club, said: "It's an ongoing legal matter so the club will not comment.

"We would not want to comment or prejudice anything that is an ongoing legal matter."

Blues manager Alex McLeish brought Bent to St Andrew's from Charlton in a £1 million move in 2008.

The 32-year-old, of Heston Road in Essex, spent the first half of this season on loan at Wolves.