FORMER Manchester United star Darron Gibson has tried to dodge completing his community service for drink-driving by claiming he's 'too busy' – despite having no club.
The 31-year-old was released by Wigan Athletic last week after playing 18 times for the Championship club this season.
But the Republic of Ireland international claimed he should be let off the rest of his sentence after completing only 77 hours of his 250-hour sentence.
Gibson was sentenced last May after crashing his Mercedes 4×4 into five cars and a wall while three times the limit on St Patrick's Day in March 2018.
Lawyers acting on his behalf said his "pressing work commitments" meant he had struggled to carry out the work such as picking up litter and painting fences.
However the request was refused after the court heard the father of two was not present for the hearing – due to him jetting off on a family holiday to Spain on May 22.
JPs said he would have time to carry out the work now the football season had finished.
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Gibson who lives in Hale, near Altrincham had been facing jail when he crashed into a taxi, five parked cars and a wall on St Patrick’s Day, March 17, as he drove from his former flat in Durham to a physio session at Sunderland when he was still playing for the club.
He was breathalysed at the side of the road and gave a reading of 105 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath when the legal limit was 35mg,
A second reading showed 95mg and Gibson said he taken two sleeping tablets and drank from a litre bottle of vodka the night before the offence.
The footballer was given a two-year community order with 250 hours of unpaid work after a district judge in Sunderland found him to be suffering from “significant psychological issues”.
Gibson said he had endured a “difficult childhood” and was subjected to bullying.
He had been previously been banned from driving in 2015 when his car hit three cyclists while over the alcohol limit.
This week the court heard Gibson had also only completed nine days of the 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days he was also required to undergo.
His lawyer Peter Grogan said: "This is an application to remove an element of the community order. You will be aware that he has been engaging and has made good progress.
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"But whilst the progress has been good, due to pressing work commitments, he is struggling to meet the requirements of the order and still has one more year to go. He apologises for not being here but he is on a family holiday.
"It was a pre-booked holiday and he went to Spain on May 22. His training resumes next month."
JPs said: "On the basis of work commitments, the football season is coming to an end, so it is possible that he will have time. The bench is mindful to refuse the application."
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