Former Liverpool Winger Jordon Ibe Fined for Fraudulent Prescription Offence
Ex-Liverpool footballer Jordon Ibe has been handed a financial penalty after pleading guilty to using a counterfeit prescription to acquire sleep medication from a pharmacy. The 30-year-old winger, who made 41 appearances for Liverpool during his career, admitted possessing an article for use in fraud at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court.
Court Proceedings and Financial Penalties
Magistrates ordered Ibe to pay a £230 fine within the next month, along with £85 in costs and a £72 victim surcharge, bringing his total financial penalty to £387. The court heard that Ibe used the fraudulent document at the Hornsey Road pharmacy on May 24, 2024, and returned four days later seeking more of the same insomnia drug Zolpidem.
During his second visit to the pharmacy, a suspicious worker seized the fake prescription, leading to the criminal proceedings against the former professional footballer. Ibe did not appear in court for his initial hearing in January, with his solicitor Claire Reid explaining he had been 'blissfully unaware' of the case.
International Career and Legal Complications
Reid told the court that Ibe had been charged by a letter sent to his family home in Southwark, south London, just after he left the United Kingdom to join Bulgarian first division side Lokomotiv Sofia, where he signed last year. A judge subsequently ordered him to appear in court to face the charge, which he did on Thursday.
In recent years, Ibe has been playing non-league football before securing his move to the Bulgarian capital in November 2025. Lokomotiv Sofia represents the eleventh different club of his professional career and his third this year alone, marking a significant contrast to his earlier days playing in front of capacity crowds at Anfield.
Previous Legal Issues and Mental Health Struggles
This is not Ibe's first encounter with the legal system. In 2020, he was convicted and banned from driving after crashing his Bentley into a coffee shop in Bromley, south-east London, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage before driving away from the scene. He admitted a charge of careless driving and was found guilty of failing to stop after an accident.
Following that incident, Ibe moved to play for Derby County and issued a public statement revealing he was undergoing rehabilitation to improve his mental health. 'I want to apologise to all my fans around the world,' Ibe wrote on Instagram at the time. 'I've find myself in a dark place, due to suffering with depression.'
Football Career Trajectory and Current Situation
Ibe's career began with enormous promise when he made his league debut for Wycombe Wanderers in October 2011 at just 15 years and 311 days old, becoming their youngest ever Football League player and scorer. He joined Liverpool in December 2011 and developed into a regular for the Reds between 2014 and 2016, earning recognition in the England under-21 setup.
During his time at Liverpool, then-captain Steven Gerrard even told England manager Roy Hodgson to keep an eye on the talented winger. Hodgson responded in 2015 that Ibe was 'certainly a player we like very much' and that a senior call-up was 'far from impossible,' though that international recognition never materialised.
Ibe's £15million move to AFC Bournemouth in 2016 set a club-record fee for the Cherries, but he struggled to consistently reach the levels expected, scoring just five goals and providing nine assists in 92 appearances. Since leaving Bournemouth in 2020, he has played only 11 minutes of professional football across spells with Derby County and Ebbsfleet United.
Recent Career Moves and Personal Reflections
His move to Lokomotiv Sofia represents another attempt to revive a career that once held such promise. The Bulgarian club expressed confidence in their new signing, stating: 'After a few difficult seasons, Jordon is ready to revive his career, and we all believe that this will happen at Lokomotiv.'
Ibe himself has spoken about his changed perspective on life and football. 'I wouldn't say I regret what's happened,' he told The Guardian earlier this year. 'It's changed me for the better. Football is not the main accomplishment in my life. I have a deeper purpose; being a dad; being a great human being; being a brother; being a son. More meaningful stuff in life.'
The former Liverpool winger added that he hopes to 'continue football; reach the levels I know I can hit; give it that one last push' while maintaining his focus on family and personal wellbeing.
