Former defender Brandon Williams has avoided jail after receiving a suspended 14-month sentence for crashing his car at 99mph in a 70mph zone in August 2023. The 24-year-old must complete 180 hours of community service and has been slapped with a three-year driving ban.

Williams was pictured in a black suit as he arrived at Chester Crown Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without third-party insurance in April. The court had heard the United academy graduate had a balloon in his mouth and was out of control when his Audi A3 collided with a Ford Fiesta A34 in Cheshire. Williams was with a young woman during the accident, and prosecutors said it was lucky no one was seriously injured or killed.

Williams admitted he was showing off to the female passenger at the time of the offence. He was told his actions were "stupid" and that he had earned "too much too soon" at United.

Recorder Eric Lamb informed Williams that he had 'strong personal mitigation' after suffering from depression during the period of the scary crash.

The England Under-21 international has a track record when it comes to driving offences, accumulating 30 penalty points before pleading guilty to the August 2023 incident.

Williams was banned from getting behind the wheel for six months in October 2023 before receiving a 12-month ban in May 2024.

In the latter case, the full-back picked up 12 points and a £1,000 fine after twice failing to declare who was driving.

United released Williams last summer after Kieran McKenna exiled him in the second half of the 2023/24 season as Ipswich Town secured Premier League promotion.

He was earning £65,000 a week at Old Trafford, having signed a four-year contract extension in 2020, with the option of a further year.

But United opted against triggering that clause, and Williams has since failed to find a new club. He hasn't played a competitive match since December 29, 2023.

Williams had the world at his feet when he broke through under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, at one point keeping Luke Shaw out of the team.

Then-England manager Gareth Southgate reportedly considered him for his Euro 2020 squad before a frustrating injury-hit 2020/21 season sparked a decline.

In April, Williams appeared on former United goalkeeper Ben Foster's podcast, where he expressed his frustration at not finding a new team.

"It hurts me watching football now because I just want to be there, I just want to play," the former Red Devils starlet told The Fozcast.

"I miss being in a team, on the coach, I just think it's that thing where it gets too much for somebody sometimes. Maybe I needed that break, just like take everything in to reset."