Shane Richie banned from driving after speeding
Actor Shane Richie has been banned from driving for six months after pleading guilty to a speeding offence in Surrey. Richie claimed he was being baited by paparazzi due to his high-profile divorce, though he acknowledged this did not excuse his actions.
Why it matters
The case highlights the ongoing tension between celebrities and the tabloid press, as well as the legal consequences for public figures involved in traffic violations.
Image source, Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron/BBC Image caption, EastEnders star Shane Richie has played pub landlord Alfie Moon since 2002
EastEnders actor Shane Richie blamed "baiting" from paparazzi as he was banned from driving for six months after being caught speeding.
Court records revealed the 62-year-old, real name Shane Roche, was hit with the driving ban on 23 September after he admitted the offence in Reigate, Surrey.
He was also fined £500 at Guildford Magistrates' Court and ordered to pay £320 in costs and a surcharge.
Richie, best known for playing Alfie Moon in the BBC soap, is already awaiting trial over a separate alleged offence of drink-driving in Harlow, Essex.
In a note to the court, regarding the speeding offence, Richie said he had been pursued daily by photographers due to his "very public divorce".
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