Newcastle Tiote Avoids Jail Sentence After Admitted to Having Fake Driving Licence

Cheick Tiote has vowed to lead by example while Newcastle captain in the absence of Fabricio Coloccini - so he will be relieved to have narrowly avoided jail.

The Ivory Coast midfielder has warned his team-mates not to dwell on the derby defeat by Sunderland as they prepare for the Capital One Cup clash against Manchester City tomorrow and a league date against Chelsea on Saturday.

Tiote said: ‘We can’t afford to think about the defeat to Sunderland for very long. We have to look to the next game now. It will be difficult against City. We have to stick together and make sure we win.

‘It’s important as the captain that you lead by example. I try to do that. I try to do things in the right way.’

Off the pitch seems a different story. He was lucky to have avoided prison after admitting to possessing a fake driving licence, for which he was given a seven-month suspended sentence and 180 hours of unpaid community work.

He paid £12,800 for a fake Belgian licence and tried to swap it with the DVLA for a British one, a court was told.

Judge James Goss said Tiote, 27, avoided jail only because he pleaded guilty and added: ‘I have no doubt that, using your considerable talent, you will be able to assist others in the community by encouraging them and passing on your skills that way.’


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