The electrifying ascent of Bournemouth in the Premier League has been shadowed by a personal setback for star player Justin Kluivert. The Dutch international has been banned from driving after accumulating enough points to trigger an automatic disqualification. His speed, ironically, proved to be his downfall.
Kluivert was first caught in January, pushing his Audi to 71mph in a 40mph zone on a Dorset road. Weeks later, in his Bentley, he was clocked at 39mph in a 30mph area within Bournemouth itself. These weren’t minor infractions; they were significant breaches of the speed limit.
The footballer didn’t appear in court to face the consequences. Instead, his solicitor conceded the driving ban, acknowledging that Kluivert’s substantial income – reportedly around £80,000 a week – precluded any claim of exceptional hardship. The court accepted this assessment without debate.
The initial speeding incident, it was revealed, occurred as Kluivert raced home to his heavily pregnant wife. A frantic phone call from her, detailing a developing emergency, prompted him to abandon a haircut and speed towards her side.
He had already held nine points on his European driving license. These two offenses pushed him well beyond the twelve-point threshold, leaving magistrates with no option but to impose a ban. The prosecution detailed the first offense took place on the A338 Wessex Way, while the second occurred on Turbary Park Avenue.
Kluivert had initially attempted to mitigate the penalties by requesting a fixed penalty notice and, later, a driver awareness course. Both avenues were closed to him due to the existing points on his license. His attempts to avoid a ban were unsuccessful.
The magistrates ultimately levied a total fine of £1,332 for the two offenses, alongside £793 in costs and surcharges, bringing the total payable to £2,125. More significantly, they disqualified him from driving for six months.
His solicitor pointedly noted Kluivert’s financial capacity to utilize alternative transportation, such as taxis, effectively acknowledging the privilege that shielded him from the hardship a driving ban might impose on others. The court proceedings concluded swiftly, a stark contrast to the dynamic play that has defined Kluivert’s performances on the pitch.
