Aston Villa star Barry Bannan banned from driving for 18 months

Aston Villa's Barry Bannan has been banned from driving for 18 months and fined £4,500 after crashing his Range Rover on a motorway while twice the drink drive limit.

The 21-year-old was arrested alongside Shrewsbury Town striker James Collins after the crash, which temporarily closed the M1.

The black 4 x 4 Sport model struck the central reservation of the motorway near junction 26 at Nottingham at around 5.30am on October 23.

The footballers were picked up Nottinghamshire Police as they walked through nearby Bulwell in the county around 90 minutes later.

Scottish international Bannan, of Sutton Coldfield, spent nine hours in police custody in Nottingham following his arrest.

Today he appeared before Nottingham magistrates and admitted drink driving, failing to stop after a road accident, driving without due care and attention and driving on a provisional licence.

Collins, aged 20, faced no further action after his arrest.

Midfielder Bannan was suspended by Aston Villa as the football club conducted their own inquiries into the crash.

But he was subsequently welcomed back into the fold after Villa boss Alex McLeish had a series of one-to-one meetings with the player.

McLeish recently refused to confirm whether the club had completed their own disciplinary procedures but he came on as a substitute for Villa in Monday's 2-0 defeat at Spurs, his first appearance for the first team since the incident.

Bannan was also axed from the Scotland squad by Craig Levein who omitted him for the friendly against Cyprus earlier in the month.