Driving ban: Anton Ferdinand in his QPR days

Former QPR defender Anton Ferdinand has been hit with a £2,500 fine after breaking the speed limit three times in as many months.

The 32 year old, who made 49 appearances over two seasons with the Rs, committed the offences between February and April last year, Colchester Magistrates' Court heard.

As Ferdinand is already serving a driving ban for separate offences, magistrates imposed a discretionary 42-day driving ban to run concurrently.

Ferdinand, who is currently the captain of League One side Southend United, did not attend court.

The one-time England U21 international was given a six-month ban in September for doing 38mph in a 30mph zone in Billericay, having already accumulated 12 penalty points on his licence.

Controversial clash: Ferdinand and John Terry

The court heard the latest offences – driving his Audi at 65mph in a 50mph zone in Southend and two breaches of a 30mph limit in Billericay – happened before his ban.

Having started his career with West Ham, Ferdinand joined the Rs from Sunderland in August 2011 and he went on to make 31 Premier League and two cup appearances that season.

In only his sixth appearance for the club, a 1-0 win over Chelsea at Loftus Road, he clashed with John Terry in an incident which saw the England skipper found guilty by the FA of racially abusing him.

The following season, he made 13 further Premier League appearances and played three further cup game for the Rs before being sent on loan to Bursaspor, and then joining fellow Turkish side Antalyaspor permanently at the end of the season.

He also had spells playing in Thailand, and back in England with Reading before joining Southend a year ago.