Former Premier League footballer pleads guilty to dangerous driving in Handforth

Former Premier League footballer Brandon Williams has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after being caught speeding in Cheshire.

Former Premier League footballer Brandon Williams has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after being caught speeding in Cheshire.

Williams, 24, who was playing for Manchester United at the time but was loaned to Ipswich Town during the 2023-24 season, was spotted by witnesses driving at high speeds and in an erratic manner on the A34 near Handforth on 20th August 2023.

The player, who was with a female passenger, was driving at up to 99 mph in a 70 mph zone, with a balloon at his mouth.  The woman was seen filming them at one point on her phone.

It was clear to witnesses that the car was out of control and, around 6.17pm, it collided with a blue Ford Fiesta and then crashed into the central reservation.

There was extensive damage to Williams’ Audi A3 and damage to the offside on the Ford Fiesta with a wheel missing. The central reservation was also damaged.

The witnesses called the police and Williams was breathalysed but the test was negative.

He was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries and then taken to Middlewich custody suite.

In a prepared statement, Williams admitted he was the driver of the Audi but denied it was out of control and blamed the collision on the actions of another driver that forced him to swerve into the central reservation.

Williams, who is currently without a club, was asked about the witnesses who saw him with a balloon at his mouth, but he replied, “no comment”.

He was arrested and charged with dangerous driving and driving without third party insurance.

Today (14th March 2025) at Chester Crown Court he pleaded guilty to both charges. He will be sentenced on 9th May 2025 at Chester Crown Court.

Andrew Madden, a Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: 

“Brandon Williams’ driving on that day clearly fell far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver.

“Expert analysis showed that he was driving at 99 mph four seconds before he hit the Ford Fiesta.

“Witnesses said Williams kept speeding up and then breaking sharply. It was clear he wasn’t in control of the vehicle. The driving was erratic and the speed was grossly excessive. Eventually, Williams lost control completely and crashed.

“It is a fortunate no one was seriously injured or killed. To drive at 99mph in those circumstances was extremely dangerous and placed the lives of other road users at serious risk of harm.

“The Crown Prosecution Service wishes to thank the witnesses for supporting this prosecution”.