Footballer John Stones has been convicted of speeding and hit with a court bill after he missed a police letter while at the World Cup.

The 32-year-old defender, who joined Inter Milan in the summer, was caught driving his £150,000 Range Rover at 43mph along a country lane near his Cheshire mansion in May.

Stones admitted being the driver when first contacted by Cheshire Police, but did not respond to a second letter offering him the chance to pay a fixed penalty to keep the speeding offence out of court.

He was then prosecuted and convicted in the Single Justice Procedure, with a magistrate last week issuing him four penalty points and ordering him to pay a £666 fine, £120 in costs, and a £266 victim surcharge.

Explaining the mishap, Stones wrote to Warrington Magistrates Court to say: “Nothing to say about the speeding.

“The reason I am only responding to the offence now is because I represent our country for football and so I have not been home and seen any post.

“I sent off my letter on the 28th May to give my details, I went off to join England.

“We were there until the 19th July.

“I went on holiday and then moved to Milan, so this has been found by chance, as no one has been home for almost four months.

“This is the reason I also would not be able to be present as I no longer am residing in the country.”

Court records show Stones was at the wheel of a Range Rover when it was clocked by a speed camera going at 43mph on a 30mph stretch of road.

The incident happened at 10.40am on May 8, just as Manchester City was in the final stages of last season’s title race and preparing for the FA Cup final.

Stones started the first match of the World Cup finals in the USA after being selected in the 26-man squad; he featured again in the quarter-final clash with Mexico and played in England’s semi-final defeat to Argentina.