Pennant drops appeal against sentence

Footballer Jermaine Pennant has dropped his appeal against a three-month prison sentence for drink-driving while banned, sources said today.

The 22-year-old star, who is on loan from Arsenal to Birmingham City, was jailed last week at Aylesbury Magistrates Court after being stopped by police who saw him driving a Mercedes with a lamp post dragging beneath it.

He admitted drink driving, driving while disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance and was also banned from driving for three years.

Pennant’s solicitor, Barry Warburton, lodged an appeal immediately after he was sentenced and it was expected the hearing would take place at Aylesbury Crown Court within days. But a member of staff at the court said today that the appeal had been dropped.

Mr Warburton confirmed the move but declined to comment further and Pennant’s agent, Sky Andrew, also said he could not provide any details.

Pennant is serving his sentence at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.