A former West Bromwich Albion player has done his part to help float the stereotype of footballers being arrogant and inconsiderate by allegedly telling police officers that he was 'a millionaire' and to 'Google me' when he was stopped for drink driving.
An arrest warrant for James Hurst has now been issued after he failed to turn up for a trial at Llandudno magistrates' court in north Wales on Thursday.
Police Constable Sam Smith told the court: "He stated 'I'm a millionaire, I will take the ban and pay the fine. I don't give a fuck.'
"I would describe his attitude as arrogant. He showed no remorse for what he had been arrested for."
According to the Metro, Hurst was charged with driving a Ford Focus, over the legal blood-alcohol limit, while going the wrong way along Wrexham high street and being drunk and disorderly on December 17.
PC Anita Hickish said Hurst also proclaimed, 'I'm a star' and told police to 'Google him'. In a more baffling admission from police, when officers gave the 26-year-old his alcohol print out, he allegedly told them: "You can sell that."
PC Smith said Hurst, who has previously played for England Under 20s, was polite at first. The footballer claimed he hadn't had a drink because he had a match to play.
He was allowed to turn the car around and drive off.
However, after returning to the police station, PC Smith was told that Hurst was urinating against a building society wall. She then found him in a pub, breathalysed him and arrested him.
His polite demeanour quickly changed, the court was told.
Hurst has denied the offences, but court chairwoman Ann Dickinson said there was 'overwhelming' evidence against him.
She declared: "We find the case proved beyond reasonable doubt."
Hurst's professional career saw him play club football in the Premier League for West Bromwich Albion.
He has also held positions for Blackpool, Shrewsbury Town, Chesterfield, Birmingham City, Crawley Town and Northampton Town, and in the Icelandic Úrvalsdeild for ÍBV and Valur.
Hurst has most recently played defence for Wrexham, but has been left without a club since leaving by mutual consent in March this year.
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