Ex-Leeds winger Ian Poveda denies driving-related charges in UK court
The short version
- Poveda denied four counts of perverting the course of justice and two fraud counts
- Trial is set for 4 December 2028 at Leeds Crown Court
- Co-defendants Adekunle Adeyemi and Anthony Howe also pleaded not guilty and were granted bail
- Poveda now plays for Atletico Nacional in Colombia's first division
The former Leeds United and Sunderland forward, now with Atletico Nacional, entered not guilty pleas at Leeds Crown Court ahead of a 2028 trial.
Ian Poveda, a former Leeds United winger now on the books at Colombian top-flight club Atletico Nacional, entered not guilty pleas during a video-link hearing at Leeds Crown Court. The 26-year-old faces four counts of perverting the course of justice plus two fraud counts, all of which he denies.
Prosecutors allege the footballer withheld details of a driving ban to secure insurance, used falsified license plates, and plotted with another person to obtain cover under a false name for a vehicle he planned to use while disqualified. The perverting-justice charges span 8 July 2020 to 13 September 2023, with the fraud offences dated to 2023 and 2025.
Judge Robin Mairs scheduled the trial for 4 December 2028. Poveda appeared alongside co-defendants Adekunle Adeyemi, 36, and Anthony Howe, 63 — both Londoners, as is Poveda. Adeyemi denies a perverting-the-course-of-justice charge and Howe denies a fraud charge. The court granted bail to all three men.
Poveda has previously played for Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday and earned England youth caps before later representing Colombia at senior level. He came on as a substitute for Atletico Nacional in their most recent fixture on Sunday.
