Marcus Rashford's excuse after being banned from driving for clocking 104mph

Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has been slapped with a six-month driving ban after he was clocked speeding over 100mph on a motorway.

The Premier League striker, 26, claimed in court that he thought he was being followed when he overtook an unmarked police car. Rashford was behind the wheel of his Rolls-Royce Cullinan Blue Shadow when he sped past an unmarked police patrol car on the clockwise stretch of the motorway just after midnight on December 12 last year, according to court documents.

The detective constable in the unmarked police BMW X5 had to accelerate to try and keep up with Rashford's vehicle. The patrol car reached speeds of "no less than 104mph" over a 1,600 meter stretch of the motorway. Despite this, the officer reported that the gap between the two cars continued to increase as the Rolls-Royce pulled further ahead, the court heard.

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Rashford left the motorway at junction 3, heading towards Wilmslow on the A34, with the detective constable continuing to tail the Rolls-Royce. The officer noticed "a change in the defendant's driving" over the police radio, with the car slowing down, exiting and then re-entering the A34, the court heard.

The Rolls-Royce eventually came to a stop and the officer activated his emergency "blues and twos" equipment at the Eden Park Road roundabout of the A34. He then spoke to Rashford who confirmed his name and date of birth.

Rashford explained to the officer that he believed a "white vehicle at the lights" was tailing him. When suggested he should've reported it, Rashford responded: "It happens all the time and he would be calling us every day" - as heard in court.

The police officer reviewed footage but had not seen any white vehicle, according to the prosecution. The officer also stated that he visited the defendant's address on December 15 and posted the notice of intended prosecution.

Rashford appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on Thursday via videolink. District Judge Lucy Hogarth handed him a six-month driving ban and a fine of £1,666. In addition to this, Rashford was ordered to pay a £666 victim surcharge and £120 in court costs after earlier pleading guilty to a single speeding offence.