Former football genius Paul Gascoigne has failed to turn up at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court to receive sentencing for a drink-drive charge because he has returned to rehab. The soccer star has reportedly booked himself into a rehabilitation centre on the south coast. Gascoigne has admitted that he was four times in excess of the legal blood-alcohol limit after he was apprehended by police in Newcastle’s Jesmond area on 8 October.

Police arrested the former Newcastle United midfielder at 2.45pm after he was spotted driving an MG in an odd manner. The troubled legend had a meeting with probation officers last Thursday with his manager, but was deemed unfit to be interviewed.

District Judge Stephen Earl, who is in charge of the case, said he would be putting off any sentencing until 8 December. The move was made so that representatives of the Probation Service can compile a report on the matter.

The lawyer defending Gascoigne, Stephen Andrews, said he had not had any contact with his client since a previous drink-driving case in front of Northallerton magistrates. That case too has been adjourned until December because Gascoigne denies the charge. Andrews said that he had been informed by Gascoigne’s management that the footballer had readmitted himself into rehab.

The lawyer had been due to have a meeting with his client on Tuesday, but it never took place. Andrews pointed out that all information he was receiving was coming from Gascoigne’s representatives, not Gascoigne himself. The former football legend is no stranger to getting into trouble due to alcohol.