SUNDERLAND striker Lilian Laslandes was banned from driving for two years yesterday after finally appearing before a court on a drink-driving charge.

Laslandes had failed to appear in court on five previous occasions. The last time, he was said to be too busy because he was searching for a new team to join on the Continent.

The 30-year-old Frenchman, who was last month ordered by Newcastle magistrates to return to the UK to appear in person, admitted driving with 185mg of alcohol to 100ml of blood. The reading was more than twice the legal limit.

In addition to the ban, he was fined £500 and ordered to pay £50 costs.

Kim Elder, prosecuting, said Laslandes was stopped by police after they spotted him driving his silver Audi the wrong way down John Dobson Street, in Newcastle, at 4am on November 27.

His breath smelt of alcohol and his eyes were glazed. He was arrested after failing a roadside breath test.

Jonathan Dunkley, defending, said Laslandes had driven to Newcastle to meet friends and had no plans to drive home to Chester-le-Street.

Laslandes, who intended to get a taxi, stopped drinking at about midnight and stayed on with friends until 3.30pm. He added: "When it came time for him to go back home he felt perfectly fit and totally unaffected by intoxicants."

Mr Dunkley added that part of the reason for the delay in Laslandes' appearance had been unsuccessful attempts by the defence team to trace a French interpreter used at the time of the arrest.

Laslandes was signed for £3.6m by Sunderland but proved a flop on Wearside, and was transfer-listed in May.