Footballer John Stones has been convicted of speeding and incurred a court bill after failing to respond to a police letter while representing England at the World Cup.

The 32-year-old defender, who joined Inter Milan in the summer, was caught driving his £150,000 Range Rover at 43mph along a country lane near his Cheshire mansion in May.

Stones admitted to being the driver when first contacted by Cheshire Police, but neglected to respond to a second letter that offered him a chance to pay a fixed penalty to avoid court proceedings. As a result, he faced prosecution and was convicted under the Single Justice Procedure. A magistrate issued him:

• Four penalty points
• A £666 fine
• £120 in costs
• A £266 victim surcharge

In his explanation to Warrington Magistrates Court, Stones stated:

“Nothing to say about the speeding. The reason I am only responding to the offence now is because I represent our country for football and so I have not been home and seen any post.”

He detailed his timeline:

• Sent off his letter on May 28 to provide his details.
• Joined the England squad until July 19.
• Went on holiday and subsequently moved to Milan.

Court records indicate that the speeding incident occurred at 10.40am on May 8, coinciding with Manchester City's final push in last season's title race and preparations for the FA Cup final.