Chelsea star Didier Drogba has been told to pay £565 and given three penalty points at Kingston Magistrates' Court this morning after admitting driving along the A3 near Hook without a licence and insurance.

Wearing jeans, a stripy blue cardigan, and a shirt, Drogba, 31, of Broomfield Road, Oxshott, admitted driving along the A3 at Hook in his Mercedes SLR without a licence and insurance on February 23, 2009.

Although he passed his test in the Ivory Coast and holds an international driver’s licence, he has not passed a test in the UK.

International and European drivers who have lived in the UK for a year or more must have a valid UK driving licence or they can be banned and fined up to £5,000.

Drogba pleaded guilty, claiming his insurance company Axa led him to believe he was allowed to drive in England and France with his international licence.

He said: "I believed there was no reason to be worried about driving the car in England because I was insured.

"I explained to them I was living here but at the same time I had a house in France so the car was also staying in France because the family might need it for their own needs."

His defence counsel Louise Culleton said he needed the car to take his children to the Chelsea training ground in Stoke D'Abernon near Cobham.

Magistrates fined him three penalty points for driving without a licence, a £400 fine with a £15 victim surcharge as well as £150 in court costs.

They ruled he had special circumstances for not having insurance.

In January 2008, Drogba was fined £750 for doing nearly 70mph while driving his Porche in a 50mph zone near Weybridge.

He also got three penalty points on his licence.

But he was unable to attend court as he was in Ghana for the the African Cup of Nations so entered his plea by post.