Former England captain Wayne Rooney has been banned from driving for two years and given 100 hours' community service after pleading guilty today to a drink driving charge while his pregnant wife and their three sons were on holiday.

He was stopped by police while driving 29-year-old party girl Laura Simpson home from a night out in her Volkswagen Beetle in Wilmslow, Cheshire, at 2am on September 1.

Rooney was stopped because Miss Simpson's car had a faulty brake light. 

Stockport Magistrates' Court heard Rooney's breath reading was 104mg per 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 35mg.

The Everton striker was handed a 24 month driving ban and given 100 hours' community service as part of a 12-month community order. 

In a statement issued after the plea he apologised for his 'unforgivable lack of judgment'. 

He appeared in court with his wedding ring on but there was no sign of his wife Coleen.   

Rooney said: 'Following today's court hearing I want publicly to apologise for my unforgivable lack of judgment in driving while over the legal limit. It was completely wrong.

'I have already said sorry to my family, my manager and chairman and everyone at Everton FC. Now I want to apologise to all the fans and everyone else who has followed and supported me throughout my career.

'Of course I accept the sentence of the court and hope that I can make some amends through my community service.' 

Rooney's lawyer, Michael Rainford, said he 'expresses his remorse for a terrible error of judgement'.

He said it's 'likely he will be fined by Everton, probably two weeks' salary' - which amounts to around £300,000. 

He described Rooney as a 'young man of many fine qualities' and said Everton were taking a 'serious and sensible' approach to the situation. 

He added: 'He knows he has let himself down here but he has let his family down, he has a wife and three young children, but he has also let his fans down.

'He can have an impact on young people, and you can see in the letter there how he has helped young people through their difficulties.

He said the footballer was used to media pressure but 'this case has seen unbelievable media focus every day.' 

The judge told him: 'I accept your remorse is genuine. I accept the effects this has had in you and your family.'  

He didn't give Rooney a fine as he 'wasn't convinced it would have the punitive effect as community service'. 

Rooney was arrested by Cheshire Police after officers pulled him over on Altrincham Road and was released on bail later that day.

He had been pictured in a selfie with cricketer Jack McIver in the Bubble Room bar in Alderley Edge the evening before his arrest.

Mr McIver shared the photo on Instagram at around 10pm on August 31, with the comment: 'International Break #legend.'