​Derby County duo Tom Lawrence and Mason Bennett have pleaded guilty to drink-driving and failing to stop after being involved in an accident on 24th September.


Both were initially arrested at the scene after being involved in a two-car collision while under the influence of alcohol - an incident which injured club-captain Richard Keogh, who is now set for ​15 months on the sidelines to recover.


As noted by ​Sky Sports News, the two players were made to attend Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court on Tuesday, and both entered guilty pleas to the aforementioned charges.

Both Lawrence and Bennett were fined six weeks' wages by ​Derby and forced to undertake 80 hours of community service as a result of breaking a curfew and bringing the Rams into disrepute.


Lucy Whittaker, who was representing Bennett, told the court (via the ​Derby Telegraph): “He accepts he had some alcohol at that point and consumes a Jager Bomb that was bought for him which made him sick.


“It wasn’t bought by him, but from a teammate. He didn’t want it but felt peer pressured to have it."


Whittaker insisted that Bennett had initially planned to get a taxi, but "made the poor decision to get in his vehicle and drive home. He lives three miles away".


With the Rams dealing with all this controversy away from the pitch, they have endured a challenging start to the ​Championship season under new manager Phillip Cocu.

Derby, who reached the playoff final last season under Frank Lampard, currently find themselves 13th in the league table, having won just three of the 11 games which they have played this season.


Their tally of six draws since the start of the campaign is the highest in the division, and many fans have been left wanting more from a side who usually compete for promotion back to the Premier League.

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