Chelsea ace nicked leaving club

CHELSEA ace Michael Essien was arrested for drink-driving as he left a nightclub at 5am yesterday.

The £24million midfielder was driving his black Range Rover when he was pulled over by police.

He was breathalysed on the spot and arrested when the result proved positive.

The Ghana star now faces a double rollicking — from his manager and his MUM.

Boss Jose Mourinho will be furious at Essien’s arrest, fearing it could disrupt the final crucial games in Chelsea’s historic bid for four trophies in one season.

And the £80,000-a-week hardman, 24, will be in big trouble when he phones home to his strict Christian mum in Ghana.

A Chelsea insider said last night: “This could not have come at a worst time. The last thing we need are any distractions.

“Michael hardly ever drinks alcohol and this was totally out of character for him.

“He is a very quiet young man who reads the Bible and spends more than an hour a day on the phone to his mum at home.”

Essien has said of his mum: “She often talks to me of the Bible. She knows certain Africans forget their basic values once they become rich and famous. She would be unhappy if I went the same way.”

Essien, who joined from French side Lyon in 2005, hit the town on Sunday night after playing in Chelsea’s 0-0 draw at Newcastle. Essien flew back to London with the squad, but did NOT join team-mates at the glitzy PFA Player of the Year awards.

Instead he went clubbing with pals in Peckham, South London, ending up at the Prince of Wales pub for an R&B night.

He left just before 5am yesterday with two men and two women in his Range Rover with blacked-out windows.

A witness said: “They’d only driven a short distance on the Old Kent Road when a police car pulled them over.”

After the breath test, the millionaire player was taken to a nearby police station where he gave a blood sample. He was found to be over the legal limit of 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. He was held for about four hours — during which time a custody photo was taken.

He also provided fingerprints and a DNA sample. Essien was freed on bail at 10am and must report back to police in July.

Essien had Chelsea’s permission for a late night out because he is suspended from tomorrow’s Champions League semi-final with Liverpool.

The Blues, who won the Carling Cup last month, also face an FA Cup final and a nail-biting Premiership race — both against Manchester United — in the next few weeks.

The Prince of Wales, tucked away behind a KFC shop, is a popular haunt for the Premiership’s African stars including Essien’s Chelsea pal Didier Drogba. It has a “no cameras” policy to ensure stars’ privacy and the paparazzi are banned from outside. An insider said Essien was waved straight through without paying the £10 entrance fee.

The source added: “He went straight to the VIP area and soon had women all over him. There were six of them in short skirts, hugging him and kissing him on the cheek.

“He ordered about six bottles of Dom Perignon champagne and one bottle of Cristal. They cost about £150 a bottle.”

Essien’s spokeswoman said: “The police allowed Michael to drive home in his own car. He is very upset and does not believe he was over the limit. Michael is a responsible person who would never drive if he thought he would be impaired by alcohol.”