Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino handed fine and ban after pleading guilty to drink-drive charge

Roberto Firmino has pleaded guilty to a drink-driving charge relating to an incident late last year.

The Liverpool player has been fined £20,000 and banned from driving for a year after the guilty plea, after lawyer Michael Hogan told the court the Christmas Eve charge had come just 24 hours after Firmino's home was targeted by burglars. As reported by Sky News, Hogan was reluctant to share additional information on the alleged targeting as it is the subject of an open investigation, but said the incident caused his client "considerable anxiety and distress".

Firmino will remain available to play for Liverpool (photo credit: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Firmino issued a statement of his own following the hearing, apologising "without reservation" for his actions. "What I have done is wrong and sets a bad example," he said. "I promise to everyone in the LFC family that I will learn from this mistake, learn from this experience, and not repeat it in the future." The former Hoffenheim player has been disciplined internally by the club, but will not be suspended from first team action. Firmino played 90 minutes in Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Chelsea last night, and will be available for selection when the Reds face Hull City in the Premier League on Saturday.