Saido Berahino in 3am drink drive arrest while fleeing ‘attack by gang who stole his watch’
Former England youth striker, 25, was stopped by police officers after racing off from outside VQ restaurant in central London. He claims he was escaping muggers
Sponsored by
SAIDO BERAHINO has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving - and allegedly told cops he was just trying to flee from a gang who wanted to steal his car.
SunSport understands the Stoke City striker, 25, claimed he was attacked by a group of men who stole his watch outside a restaurant in the early hours of this morning.
Police were called to an incident at 3am outside VQ, a 24-hour restaurant and bar in Bloomsbury which specialises in smoothies including the Blueberry-based 'Detox'.
Berahino, who has a matte black Range Rover and was banned from the wheel in 2015 after pleading guilty to drink driving, had spent the evening dining at the popular venue.
But when officers arrived at the scene they saw Berahino's car race off.
The former West Brom striker, who represented England at youth level, was stopped and arrested on suspicion of drink driving before being taken into custody.
A witness who was eating inside the exclusive VQ Restaurant in Bloomsbury, central London, saw the drama unfold.
He said: "He had been in the restaurant getting food with a man and two women, he was maybe there for an hour.
"VQ is open 24 hours, it is the kind of place you go after a night out.
"I saw him leave the restaurant and then all of a sudden there was shouting and yelling and stuff by the doorway.
LATEST FOOTBALL STORIES
"He was scuffling with some boys, I think they had just got out a car. It was all of a sudden and because we were inside we couldn't really see what it was all about.
"The next thing he ran over to a black Range Rover, got in and drove off quickly.
"He pulled in to the next left from where we were, it wasn't very far at all and the next thing he was being stopped by police.
"We saw him being arrested for drink driving and then being led away by the police.
"It was the early hours of the morning and he looked like he had been out partying."
A statement from police said: “On Monday, 18 February at around 03:00 hours police were called to a disturbance in Great Russell Street, WC1.
“When officers arrived on scene a car was seen to drive away at speed.
“The car was stopped by police in Bedford Square and a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drink drive.”
It was at this point that Berahino claimed to have been set upon by the gang who had surrounded his car.
Berahino says the group attempted to steal his car keys but he was able to get away.
The one-time England man's car collection also includes a white Mercedes AMG-GT Coupe.
Berahino, who joined Stoke in January 2012 for £12m, was given an eight-week ban from footballer in 2016 after failing a drugs test.
He claimed his drink had been spiked in a nightclub and that the level of drugs found was "really low".