The 21-year-old midfielder, from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, was handed an 18-month driving ban and fined £4,500 after admitting a string of driving offences following a crash on the M1 last month. He admitted drink-driving, failing to stop after an accident, driving without due care and attention and driving on a provisional licence at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. The court heard Bannan fled across fields after crashing his Range Rover Sport into the central reservation on the southbound carriageway of the M1 near Watnall, at around 5.30am on October 23 following a night out in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The footballer was found to have almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system. In a statement released by Aston Villa after Friday's hearing, S Bannan said: "I am very conscious of the fact that I have let down a lot of people by my actions, which I deeply regret. "I have let down my family, my club, the supporters of Aston Villa, all of the people who have helped me to get to this stage in my football career and I have let down myself. I'm really sorry. "Obviously, I have to try to make up for a terrible error of judgement and I intend to do so, first by accepting the fine and punishment handed down by the court and subsequently by my actions. "Drink-driving is a very serious offence and there is no excuse for what I have done. "The club has been very supportive throughout this process and I want to concentrate now on my responsibilities to Villa and work hard to get back in the team." Villa manager Alex McLeish said: "As a club and as the manager of the club, we take a very dim view of the incident in which Barry was involved. "He has been deservedly punished and we have also taken action internally, at the time of the incident when he was suspended and he will now be disciplined in line with the club's own disciplinary procedure, which will remain internal. "Barry has shown contrition, he's very ashamed of what's happened and his attitude is very much to get on now with his life and his career as a footballer." Bannan, who has held a provisional licence for three years, was found to have 61mg of alcohol to 100ml of breath - the legal limit is 35. He had been on a night out with friends in Leeds following Aston Villa's 2-1 home defeat at the hands of local rivals West Brom. When his friends failed to return to the hotel where they were staying, Bannan decided to get changed and drive back to Birmingham as he feared he would miss a meeting with a youth football team coach. Bannan said he took the decision to drive as he felt "alert, in control and clear headed", the court heard. Following the crash he panicked after seeing a motorway worker on his mobile phone. Fearing he was calling the police, Bannan fled over fields to a taxi office in Bulwell, where was arrested. He believed himself to be "a safe and confident driver" who practised regularly with his girlfriend, who had a licence and was insured on his car, Adrian Darbishire, representing the footballer, said. In mitigation, Mr Darbishire said of Bannan: "He is a young man in the public eye. He views these proceedings very seriously and his actions were out of character." The footballer was fined £2,200 for driving with excess alcohol and a further £2,200 for the charge of failing to stop after a road accident. He was also ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £15. He was told his driving ban would be reduced by four months and two weeks on completion of a drink-driving rehabilitation course. Magistrates said they would impose no further penalty for the further two charges. A passenger in the car, Shrewsbury striker James Collins, was also arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident following the incident. He was subsequently released without charge, Nottinghamshire Police confirmed.
