BB FANS

12:16 UK, Tuesday March 01, 2005 :SKY

Arsenal footballer Jermaine Pennant has been jailed for three months after pleading guilty to drink driving and driving while disqualified.

His solicitor said he will appeal and an application for bail will be made later today at Aylesbury Magistrates Court.

Last month the 22-year-old, who is on loan to Birmingham City, was warned he may be sent behind bars after admitting the charges.

Pennant was arrested in January after he was spotted in a car park in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, driving a Mercedes with a lamp post dragging beneath it.

Aylesbury Magistrates' Court heard that when Pennant, of Barnet, north London, was stopped his eyes were glazed and his speech slurred.

Police found that he was almost two-and-a-half times over the legal alcohol limit with 85 micrograms per 100ml of breath. The legal maximum is 35 micrograms per 100ml of breath.

The former England Under-21 star had been banned from driving for 16 months in February last year after being seen travelling in the wrong lane in Paddington, west London.

That period was later cut after he completed a special course designed to rehabilitate drink-drivers.

some good that course did him

he should of got longer, but he will no doubt get out of it

Birmingham will discuss Jermaine Pennant's future with his club Arsenal after the on-loan winger was jailed on Tuesday for three months for driving offences.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty last month to drink driving and driving while banned and has been banned for a further three years.

Pennant was back in court half an hour after being sentenced on Tuesday as his defence team tried to get him bailed when lodging an appeal.

Chairman of magistrates John Jakobi said bail would not be granted because the Crown Court would hear the appeal against sentence quickly.

Last month Pennant joined Birmingham on loan with first-team opportunities limited at Arsenal. He quickly became a fans' favourite at St Andrews and the club said they were "extremely disappointed" with the news.

A statement on the club's official website, http://www.bcfc.com, said: "We are extremely disappointed with the news that Jermaine Pennant has been given a custodial sentence.

"We will now be speaking to Arsenal about the future of their player."

Blues manager Steve Bruce this week insisted a jail term would not benefit the winger as much as rehabilitation at the club, and his views were echoed by chairman David Gold.

Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor claimed Pennant was at a "crossroads in his career".

"I hope he has got the strength to come out of this and be better for it," he added.

Ananova