Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez was banned from driving for six months today after failing to attend a hearing because he was playing for Argentina in a World Cup qualifier.
He was ordered to pay more than £3,000 after being convicted of two charges of failing to identify the driver of his Porsche Cayenne.
The £106 million star—the most expensive ever Premier League footballer—was due to appear for sentence today at Llanelli Magistrates Court in Wales but was in South America last night playing for the Argentina national side.
The court heard the 23-year-old had already racked up nine points for three separate speeding offences before he was due to be sentenced for the two offences.
Fernandez was prosecuted after his car was also spotted going through a red light in Llanelli, West Wales, and he failed to tell police who was driving.
Reading his driving record aloud, the court clerk said Fernandez had been issued with three penalty points twice in August last year and again in March this year for speeding offences.
The Porsche Cayenne registered to Fernandez was alleged to have driven through a red light in Church Street in Llanelli while also uninsured on November 28 last year.
Fernandez was later convicted in his absence of 'failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver' to officers from Dyfed-Powys Police.
The court heard he had also been convicted of the same charge for an offence in the South Wales Police area the following month.
The allegations relating to driving through the red light while uninsured were later dropped.
Fernandez did not attend and was not represented in the hearing.
Magistrates chair Wyn Edwards said, 'We're dealing with two matters of failing to give information of the driver's identity, which have been proved in Mr. Fernandez's absence.'
For each charge, Fernandez, whose address was listed as Chelsea's training ground, was handed a £1,000 fine and £110 costs. He was also ordered to pay an £800 surcharge.
He was given six penalty points for each of the offences, resulting in a six-month driving ban from today.
Mr. Edwards said, 'We make a collection order for the £3020 payable by the 9th of October.
'With the 12 points imposed today and the existing nine points on his licence, it makes a total of 21 penalty points. We therefore disqualify him for a total of six months under the totting up procedure.'
Court documents state his attendance is required 'to consider if there are mitigating circumstances (including exceptional hardship) for not ordering disqualification'.
Fernandez played 84 minutes of Argentina's World Cup qualification match last night, where his team lost 2-1 to Colombia.
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