Police arrest three footballers for motoring offences

LONDON, June 18 (Reuters) Former England and Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham was named today as one of three footballers arrested over an alleged scam involving motoring offences.

Last week Sheringham, 41, who was released by West Ham United at the end of last season, was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list to mark his distinguished career of almost 1,000 games for club and country.

Two former West Ham team mates, Bobby Zamora, 26, and Shaun Newton, 31, have also been arrested in connection with the alleged offences together with a woman, police have said.

''On May 15 a 41-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice when he attended by appointment a police station in east London,'' a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

''He was bailed to return on a date in July. He is alleged to have given false details on an alleged speeding offence.'' The statement said a a 26-year-old and a 31-year-old have also been bailed to appear at various police stations in east and south London.

The maximum sentence for perverting the course of justice is six years in jail.

The arrests are the latest chapter in a troubled few months for the London club who avoided relegation on the final day of the season.

They were fined a record 5.5 million pounds (10.90 million dollar) in April for breaching ownership rules over the signings of Argentines Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

Sheffield United, who were relegated, have appealed the Premier League's decision not to deduct points from West Ham and hope an arbitration panel, currently hearing the case, will reinstate them to the top flight. A decision is expected on Tuesday.

In November last year defender Anton Ferdinand was charged with violent disorder and causing actual bodily harm after a fight outside an east London nightclub.

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