England star Jermaine Jenas has become the latest Newcastle United footballer to land in trouble with the police over serious motoring offences, The Northern Echo can reveal.

The 20-year-old midfielder - crowned Young Player of the Year by the Professional Footballers Association last month - was stopped by police in Richmondshire for allegedly speeding in his new BMW X5, which costs more than £30,000.

When asked to produce his documents, Jenas allegedly only had a provisional driving licence. The law states that learner drivers must display L-plates. They must be accompanied by an experienced driver who is at least 21 years old and has held a full licence for at least three years.

Such an offence could not be dealt with by a fixed penalty fine and would almost certainly go before a court.

The Northern Echo understands the incident happened about two weeks ago but North Yorkshire police refused to either confirm or deny details last night.

A force spokesman said: "We are not in a position to comment on this matter."

Jenas, signed for £5m from Nottingham Forest in February last year, has been with the England squad for the friendly international with South Africa.

He was late joining up with his team-mates. The official explanation for his delayed arrival was because he was dealing with "a private matter" in the North-East.

Newcastle United declined to comment last night.

Sir Bobby Robson's young team have already been dubbed "The Wild Bunch", and Jenas is the latest Newcastle United player to find himself in hot water with the police.

Only last month, 24-year-old England midfielder Kieron Dyer was handed a six-month driving ban for his fourth speeding offence in two years, which included being fined £1,000 by magistrates at Chester-le-Street, County Durham, last year after being clocked travelling at 104mph on the A1.

Two days before Christmas, he was lucky to escape unscathed when his £103,000 Ferrari spun out of control on the Swing Bridge in Newcastle.

Sir Bobby has urged Dyer to mend his ways after a string of incidents that also included being sent home in disgrace from a club break in Marbella with teammates Craig Bellamy, Carl Cort and Andy Griffin.

Bellamy is due to appear in court later in the summer charged with a public order offence arising from an alleged racist incident in Cardiff.

Chilean international midfielder Clarence Acuna was banned from driving for two years and fined £1,000, after he was caught drink-driving by police near Newcastle's Quayside.

The 27-year-old, who was dressed as Captain Hook at the time, had been attending the club's Christmas party.

His South American colleague, Nolberto Solano, was banned from driving in 2001 for a similar offence.

Sir Bobby, probably the game's most respected manager, acknowledged last week that his man-management skills will be tested to the full after he brought controversial West Ham midfielder Lee Bowyer, 26, to Tyneside to join ex-Leeds United colleague Jonathan Woodgate.

Sir Bobby admitted that Bowyer, who was acquitted of all charges after standing trial for assault on an Asian student three years ago, came with "baggage" and would have to behave himself.

Yesterday, he told BBC radio that he had agonised with his conscience before going through with the deal.