Anthony Stokes given penalty points after driving without a licence

HIBS player Anthony Stokes collected an unwanted three points after he pled guilty to driving without a licence.

Anthony Stokes collected 3 driving points in court. Picture; JP

The ex Celtic striker admitted his guilt but wasn’t at Glasgow’s Justice of the Peace Court today - less than a week after being banished from training for breaking a curfew during a team trip to Portugal.

Stokes - who only has a provisional licence - illegally drove on Cumbernauld Road in the east of the city.

He was driving a Mitsubishi Shogun 4x4 on January 28, 2016 when stopped by police.

The 29 year-old was represented at court yesterday on the day he was due to stand trial.

Defence lawyer Michael Gallen said Stokes pled guilty to driving without a licence but not guilty to driving without insurance, which prosecutors accepted.

Stokes was given three points on his licence and a £160 fine reduced from £175.

Mr Gallen said: “He is originally from the Republic of Ireland, he holds a licence issued by the driving authority in Ireland.

“At the time of this particular offence his misunderstanding was that he was covered in the UK by virtue of that licence.”

Last week, Stokes and team mates Danny Swanson and Martin Boyle were ordered to train separately from the rest of the group for the last three days of their trip to the Algarve in Portugal.

It’s understood the three players failed to check in on time following a squad meal out last Tuesday evening.

In January 2016 he was loaned to Hibernian until the end of the season and signed a two-year contract with them in August.