SUNDERLAND footballer Anton Ferdinand was yesterday banned from driving for six months.

The 25-year-old brother of England captain Rio was convicted of using a mobile phone while driving his white Range Rover on July 13.

Ferdinand was banned because he already had 12 points on his licence from a previous offence.

The defender, of Newcastle, spoke only to answer his name and address during the brief hearing before Newcastle magistrates.

Banning him from driving for six months, chairman of the bench William Wright said: “You already have 12 points on your licence and this would bring you to 15 points.”

The player was fined £1,000, ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Kerry Gate, prosecuting, said Ferdinand was stopped by a police officer who had followed the defender from the Tyne Bridge to Ponteland Road, two miles away.

Mrs Gate said: “He was leaning towards the centre of the car, as if leaning on an armrest, and he had his mobile telephone in his left hand against his left ear.

“As the officer drew up alongside, he realised he was a police officer and immediately put the phone down from his ear.”

Ferdinand told the officer he was on his way to the airport and that he had needed to take the call, which was from his mother.

Asked whether it was an emergency, he replied: “Not an emergency, but it needed to happen.”

The court heard Ferdinand had served a previous six-month driving ban imposed in May 2007, after exceeding the points limit.

Anthony Senior, mitigating, said that Ferdinand had answered a call from his mother about a personal family matter.

He said: “It was of paramount importance to him.

“He realises that it was a silly thing to do.”

He said a ban would affect the player’s charity work with a foundation for young offenders he was setting up and with Wearside charity The Sunderland Foundation.

Ferdinand was arrested earlier this month after failing to appear before magistrates for sentencing.

The player then handed himself into officers in Newcastle.

Sunderland Football Club said the player had not received notification of the court appearance and dismissed the matter as a “misunderstanding”.

The England Under-21 international joined the Black Cats from West Ham in August 2008 and has played more than 50 times for the club.