Footballer fined and banned after drink-drive crash

Birmingham signed Marvin Ducksch from Werder Bremen last summer [Getty Images] A Birmingham City footballer was told he was lucky he had not killed himself and two female drivers after causing a serious three-car crash while over the drink-drive limit. Marvin Ducksch was involved in the crash on the A3400 near Henley-in-Arden in Warwickshire at about 22:30 BST on 6 April. The Germany international pleaded guilty to driving his Mercedes with excess alcohol, and was fined £16,000 and banned from driving at Leamington Spa Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old, who lives in Solihull, had appeared as a substitute in Birmingham's 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town at Portman Road just hours before the crash. Ducksch stopped at the scene and checked on the other motorists - one of which had a nosebleed and injuries to her forehead and thumb. Magistrates were told he had been caught driving with 53mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, above the legal limit of 35mcg.

'Serious matter' In a prepared statement to police, Ducksch said he was driving home and admitted "he did have alcohol before he drove" and had "clipped an oncoming car and another one following behind", the court heard. Chairman of the bench John Kiely told the footballer: "You can consider yourself lucky first of all that you weren't killed and secondly that the other drivers weren't killed. "That's how serious this matter is.

" During mitigation, defence solicitor Julia Morgan said Ducksch, whose former clubs include Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund, had a promising career ahead of him. She added: "Mr Ducksch waited at the scene for the police. "They didn't arrive immediately but he waited and he checked on the welfare of the occupants of the other vehicles.