Ex-Premier League star caught with £3,000 worth of cocaine stuffed in sock after drink-drive 100mph police chase

Stokes nearly collided with another motorist during a high-speed chase with police in Dublin on January 6, 2023. The former Sunderland striker was in court this week and pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cocaine, which was hidden in a sock, and having the drug for sale or supply.

Stokes also admitted driving while over the alcohol limit and four counts of dangerous driving, as well as pleading guilty to not producing a driving licence and not having motor insurance.

The court heard how Stokes 'began abusing alcohol' aged 16, progressing to cocaine at the end of his career which he was 'heavily using at the time of this incident'.

Stokes had one prior conviction in this jurisdiction in 2013 for assault causing harm, which resulted in a suspended sentence and compensation order.

Stokes was capped nine times by the Republic of Ireland and played 22 times in the Premier League for Sunderland, scoring once. The forward's most successful stint came in Scotland, with Stokes winning eight trophies in six years at Celtic between 2010 and 2016.

Stokes' lawyer said that following a period of denial, he was now making huge steps toward 'total abstinence', is clean and sober and has been linked in with an addiction service. The judge noted he was due to give a sample later this month to show he was drug-free before adjourning sentencing until October 1 for the results of his drug tests.