Former West Ham United striker Michail Antonio has had a motoring conviction set aside after telling a court he almost died in a car crash. A judge at Birmingham Magistrates' Court quashed Antonio's conviction for failing to give information about the driver of a Lamborghini Urus that was caught speeding in Birmingham in March 2025.
Court Hearing Details
Antonio, who had been convicted in his absence in April 2025, told the judge on Friday that he had given the vehicle to a car company in January 2024 to arrange a sale. The 36-year-old said: "Can I tell you the whole situation? I almost died in a car crash on the 7th of December 2024. On the 1st of March I wasn't even physically driving at the time because I broke my femur – I wasn't allowed to drive."
He explained that his partner had sent a letter from the authorities to the car sale firm and asked them to handle it. Antonio, who now plays in the Qatari league, added: "We got a summons for court in September. I don't think I was around. I was trying to focus on my actual career and my life. I didn't think about anything outside of that."
Legal Outcome
The judge gave Antonio the option to appeal to the Crown Court or have his conviction set aside. He pleaded not guilty and will face trial at the same court on March 2, 2026. The speeding charge, which alleged the Lamborghini averaged 50mph in a 40mph zone in Birmingham on March 1, 2025, was previously dropped by prosecutors.
During the hearing, Antonio asked if the press could be present, and the judge inquired if he was famous. Antonio replied: "Yeah, I am a footballer. I used to play for West Ham."
Background
Antonio spent three weeks in hospital in December 2024 after crashing a Ferrari in Epping Forest, Essex, suffering a badly broken leg. He has also played for Reading, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, and Sheffield Wednesday.
