SOUTH Korean police said Tuesday that they have begun a preliminary investigation into FC Seoul player Jesse Lingard for allegedly riding an electric scooter without a license, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The Seoul Gangnam Police Station said they began looking into possible unlicensed driving by Lingard after the former Manchester United midfielder uploaded a photo of himself riding an e-scooter in Seoul, without a helmet, on his social media Monday night. The photo has since been taken down.
In September last year, Lingard was slapped with a fine of 57,000 British pounds (US$75,380) and was banned from driving for 18 months, after getting caught driving while drunk. He was more than twice the legal limit when he was stopped by police in Manchester two months earlier.
Seoul police will try to determine if Lingard had indeed driven his e-scooter without a license and had done so under the influence of alcohol.
South Korea mandated driver’s licenses for all e-scooter rides earlier this year.
Violators face a fine of 100,000 won (US$75.08), with an additional fine of 20,000 won for those riding without a helmet.
Lingard, a former England international, signed for FC Seoul in February, instantly becoming the biggest name to join South Korea’s K League. He has four goals in 18 matches, having missed 12 matches with injuries.
