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Monday 7 October 2013

Former Olympian Phillips Idowu claims he had to flee his home from domestic incident while drunk before being caught drink driving

Athlete: Idowu appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court wearing a grey suit with a blue shirt and a yellow tie
Athlete: Idowu appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court wearing a grey suit with a blue shirt and a yellow tie

Phillips Idowu was today banned from the road - after being caught drink driving when police were called to a domestic incident at his home.
The 34-year-old former Olympic triple jumper from Epping, Essex, pleaded guilty to driving his white Land Rover in the town’s Bridge Hill while two and a half times the legal alcohol limit.
Appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court wearing a grey suit with a blue shirt with a white collar and a yellow tie, Idowu was also ordered to complete community service after the incident.
An Essex Police spokesman said after the case today: 'We were called to reports of a domestic argument at a property shortly before 9.30am. A man had left the scene prior to police arriving and was subsequently arrested.'


Joe Life, defending, told the court he had been out with friends the previous night and returned home to bed, ahead of the incident which happened at about 9.30am on September 20.
Ms Life said: ‘He just got in the car because circumstances forced him to leave the house in a hurry and he was driving a short distance.’
She did not elaborate on what had happened, but added: ‘He planned to stay at a hotel which was under a mile away to get away from the circumstances which had unfolded at the house.’
Ms Life said Idowu had co-operated with police and regularly helps charities and schools. Idowu, described by officers as ‘unemployed’, has no income and is living off savings, the court heard.
He had asked to be fined rather than given community service as he had an job opportunity abroad beginning next month, the court was told.
But magistrates ordered him to complete 50 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months. Idowu was banned from driving for 24 months and must pay a fine of £145 and £85 costs.
Sentencing, Magistrate Jeremy Bachelor told Idowu: ‘I don’t need to tell you how seriously courts around the country take these offences.’
Silver medalist Phillips Idowu of Great Britain stands on the podium during the Men's Triple Jump medal ceremony in Beijing
Triple jumper: Phillips Idowu at the Beijing Olympics five years ago in 2008, where he won a silver medal
Triple jumper: Phillips Idowu at the Beijing Olympics five years ago in 2008, where he won a silver medal

Idowu has previously spoken of his long-term relationship with his Spanish girlfriend, Carlita, with whom he has two children.
The athlete won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and World Championship gold in Berlin the following year.

He was a hot tip for gold at last year’s London Olympics but a leg and hip injury thwarted his medal hopes and he failed to make it through to the final.
Idowu has stopped short of retiring from track and field competition but has announced he is taking an extended break from athletics ‘for the foreseeable future’.

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