In March 2022, Akins was driving a Mercedes G350 when he struck Adrian Daniel, a 33-year-old cyclist, in the village of Netherton, Kirklees, West Yorkshire. Daniel died 10 days later from his injuries.

On March 4, Akins appeared at Leeds Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to careless or inconsiderate driving that caused Daniel’s death. The court immediately revoked Akins’ driving license, and he will be sentenced on April 24, BBC reported.

Despite the conviction, Judge Alex Menary allowed Akins to be released on bail, as the court heard that he was of good character, according to Yorkshire Live.

That evening, Akins started in the match between Mansfield Town and Wigan in EFL League One, the third division of English football. The match ended 0-0. Akins played 45 minutes in the first half before being substituted by coach Nigel Clough.

The decision to allow Akins to play while on bail raised questions from British media.

In a post-match press conference, Clough said: “We can’t comment on it, I’m afraid. We’ve known about it for some time, it’s not just happened, but we’re not in a position to comment.”

Born in 1989, Akins began his career at Huddersfield Town. He spent most of his career in the lower divisions of English football, with his highest-profile stint being two seasons at Burton Albion in the second division EFL Championship. Akins also played four matches for the Grenada national team in the Caribbean.