Prosecutors today dropped a motoring charge against a Premiership footballer.

Newcastle United player Kieron Dyer had been charged with allowing his car to be driven by someone without insurance.

But Anita Addison, prosecuting, told magistrates at Sudbury, Suffolk, that the Crown was withdrawing the charge.

Dyer, 23, of Westgate Road, Newcastle, lent James Leech his BMW X5 on August 4 last year.

But when police stopped Leech in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, he could not produce an insurance certificate, and was not insured.

Postman Leech, 23, of Brookfield Road, Ipswich, admitted driving without insurance. The court heard that the small print on Leech's insurance only allowed him to drive another vehicle if it was lent to him by his insurance company while his own car was being repaired.

Barry Warburton, defending, told the court: ''This offence was committed if not innocently, negligently.

''Mr Leech believed he was insured to drive another vehicle.''

Mr Warburton said: ''Mr Dyer was assured that he was insured and in these circumstances the prosecution have offered no evidence.''

Dyer was not in the car at the time.

Leech had a clean driving licence and had never been in trouble before.

Leech was fined £100, his licence was endorsed with six penalty points, and he was ordered to pay £35 costs.

Dyer and Leech did not attend court.

Mr Warburton said outside the court that Dyer lent his friend the BMW so he could play at a football match.