Rangers winger Rabbi Matondo was caught speeding at over 100mph as police pursued him towards Ibrox Stadium. The chase began after he was tailgating an unmarked police car.
Matondo, 24, who plays for the Welsh national team, was driving erratically on Glasgow’s M8 motorway, weaving through traffic and ignoring a red traffic light on his way to a training session.
He was banned from driving for a year and fined after being found guilty of dangerous driving.
During the court hearing, it was revealed that police officers decided not to pursue Matondo at high speed, fearing a potential loss of control and fatal accident.
A traffic police officer testified that he was concerned about “a fatality” if they attempted to match the winger’s speed of over 100mph as he sped towards a public training session.
Police eventually apprehended the football player at Rangers stadium, where they approached him through the players’ entrance and charged him with dangerous driving.
The Welsh international was subsequently banned from driving for 12 months after being convicted at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
Police Constable James Bowie recounted being in an unmarked police vehicle on the M8 when Matondo’s Audi Q8 tailgated them on the Kingston Bridge in the city.
Dashcam footage showed the powerful SUV speeding away, initiating the chase on August 1, 2023.
The Rangers forward was observed overtaking a heavy goods vehicle and running a red light as he outpaced the police.
PC Bowie stated that despite reaching speeds of 80mph, they “never got close” to Matondo’s car.
He explained his reasoning: “I knew it was a nice big Audi Q8. But I thought that if he loses control at 100 miles per hour there is a possibility of a fatality.”
According to officers, Matondo was “remorseful” when they interviewed him.
Ronnie Simpson, the defense lawyer, pointed out that the police report indicated the player’s average speed was 72mph in a 50mph zone.
PC Bowie clarified: “That’s an average between distances. Within that average, the speed exceeded 100mph.”
When questioned about why he charged Matondo with dangerous driving instead of issuing a fixed penalty notice, PC Bowie mentioned “other factors” in his driving behavior, describing it as a “course of conduct.”
The officer added: “In my opinion, he seemed remorseful and his attitude was pretty good. He understood our explanations and seemed to accept why we were there.”
Mr. Simpson argued: “He was a young man running late for work and didn’t want to let down his colleagues.”
However, Sheriff Mary Shields found Matondo, who is currently on loan to German club Hannover 96, guilty of dangerous driving.
The judge stated: “I believe that Mr. Matondo’s driving of the Audi car over the distance shown on CCTV was clearly far below the expected standard for a driver.”
Matondo, a first-time offender, received a year-long driving ban and a £420 fine.
