Ex-Man Utd star Brandon Williams AVOIDS prison for dangerous 99mph car crash

Former Manchester United defender Brandon Williams has been sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without third party insurance. He will also receive 180 hours of community service and has been banned from driving for three years.

The 24-year-old's sentencing hearing was held at Chester Crown Court on Friday, having been pushed back from an original date earlier in the month, with Williams having pleaded guilty in March after being caught doing up to 99mph in a 70mph zone. The Crown Prosecution Service said the footballer was spotted driving at high speeds and in an erratic manner in an Audi A3 on the A34 near Handforth, Cheshire, on August 20 2023.

The full-back had a female passenger in his car, and was spotted by witnesses well over the speed limit and with a balloon at his mouth. On March 14, he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving without third party insurance at Chester Crown Court and said "no comment" when asked about witnesses seeing the balloon, according to the CPS.

During the hearing, Williams was told by recorder Eric Lamb that there was ‘strong personal mitigation’. Reference was made to the footballer committing the offence when suffering with depression.

The car in which Williams was travelling collided with a blue Ford Fiesta at around 6.17pm before crashing into the central reservation. He was breathalysed following the incident, but the test came up negative.

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At the time of the incident, Williams was under contract at , but spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Ipswich Town. He left United upon the expiry of his contract in June 2024 and is currently without a club.

“Brandon Williams’ driving on that day clearly fell far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver," Andrew Madden, a senior crown prosecutor with CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said. “Expert analysis showed that he was driving at 99mph 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 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.”

England Under-21 international Williams' sentencing had originally been due to take place on May 9. However, it was subsequently pushed back by two weeks.

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