Ex-Manchester United player Brandon Williams dodges jail after dangerous driving conviction

Brandon Williams has received a suspended jail sentence for dangerous driving after he reached almost 100mph seconds before his vehicle collided with another car. Williams, 24, was spotted driving at high speeds and in an erratic manner in an Audi A3 on the A34 near Handforth, Cheshire, on August 20, 2023.

His vehicle collided with a Ford Fiesta before crashing into the central reservation. Williams was on loan at Ipswich Town at the time of incident.

Last June, Manchester United announced he would leave the club at the end of his contract. In March, he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and having no insurance.

Today (May 23) at Chester Crown Court, he was sentenced to a 14-month jail term, suspended for two years. Recorder Eric Lamb also banned him from driving for three years and ordered he must undertake 180 hours of unpaid work as part of a community order.

A female motorist travelling behind Williams on the dual carriageway shortly before 6pm thought he was not in control of his vehicle, which was braking heavily and dropping back to leave a small gap, the court heard.

Max Saffman, prosecuting, said the woman noticed the driver and a female passenger appeared to have yellow balloons in their mouths, and she was “scared” they would collide with her vehicle. The Audi overtook and swerved in front of her, in what she said was a “needless manoeuvre”.

Williams then repeated the same behaviour as he drove up to a Ford Fiesta driven by Clare Smith, the court was told, but as he pulled out to overtake he hit the rear of her vehicle and then careered into the central reservation.

Both vehicles were extensively damaged.

The court was told that Williams’s “prolonged episode” of dangerous driving took place over five miles and, although he was not under the influence of Class C drug nitrous oxide at the time, he had assisted his front-seat passenger to use her balloon.

Collision investigators concluded that Williams was driving at 99mph on the 70mph limit road just four seconds before the crash.