Noel Gallagher convicted of driving offence despite never learning …
N
oel Gallagher[1] has been prosecuted for a driving[2] offence and handed a fine[3] plus six penalty points – despite never having learned how to drive.
The Oasis[4] star and High Flying Birds[5] frontman was taken to task by the Metropolitan Police[6] after his chauffeur-driven Range Rover was caught speeding[7] in west London last October.
Gallagher ended up being prosecuted when police letters were not responded to, in a mix-up which has been blamed on last Christmas’ postal strike.
At Willesden magistrates court[8] this week, Gallagher pleaded guilty in writing to the offence and was issued with six penalty points, a £742 fine, and costs and fees totalling £396.
The musician has famously never passed his driving test, but will have penalty points added to his licence if he ever decides to get behind the wheel.
Court documents exclusively obtained by the Evening Standard show Gallagher’s car was clocked by a speed camera going at 41mph on a 30mph stretch of the A40 near Edgware Road station.
He was written to about the incident in October and December last year at his 18th Century country estate in Hampshire.
But police said they did not receive a reply – identifying the driver of the vehicle – within the required time limit.
Gallagher’s driver Alan Neeson wrote to the court alongside the star’s guilty plea in a bid to explain the mix-up.
“I am employed by Mr Noel Gallagher as his personal driver and also I am solely responsible for correspondence and other matters regarding vehicles”, he said.
“Even though the vehicle involved in said offence is registered to Mr Gallagher, (he) does not hold a driving license hence why I am sending this statement.
“The initial offence charge sheet was never received and the final reminder was not received until mid-January. I believe the reason for this is, as well publicised, there was a postal strike before Christmas which I believe led to this delay.
“This coupled with the Christmas post is the only logical explanation as to why these letter was received so late.”
Mr Neeson said he was the driver in the incident, on October 20 last year, and has already accepted a fine and penalty points in a separate prosecution.
He asked the court to take into consideration the explanation for the letters not being replied to, when passing sentence on Gallagher.
In April, Gallagher told Radio 2’s Zoe Ball[9] that he gave up trying to drive in the 90s after being mobbed by fans during a lesson.
“I’m in a red Nissan Micra with a massive great big triangle on the top of it with an L, with all these kids coming out”, he said. “This is at the height of Oasis mania. I was like, ‘never, never again am I getting in a car’.”
His prosecution was dealt with by a single magistrate sitting behind closed doors this week, in the Single Justice Procedure.
Gallagher has been given 28 days to settle the court bill.
References
- ^ oel Gallagher (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ driving (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ fine (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ Oasis (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ High Flying Birds (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ Metropolitan Police (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ speeding (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ court (www.standard.co.uk)
- ^ Gallagher told Radio 2’s Zoe Ball (www.standard.co.uk)