TV star avoids driving ban by citing charity work

A TV presenter clocked doing over 100mph on a Scottish highway has escaped losing his licence because, his defence argued, small charities would suffer if he was forced off the roads.

Patrick Kielty, comedian and presenter of Fame Academy and Love Island, was caught speeding on the A75 Gretna to Stranraer road in Dumfries and Galloway by local police on 27 December last year.

The 37-year-old’s lawyer Gerald Tierney argued that Kielty was on his way to catch the ferry to Northern Ireland to visit family when “his concentration slipped”.

Tierney told the court that small charity events that Kielty supported, such as golf tournaments, would be worse off if Kielty was banned from driving – a possible (and common) sanction for speeding at such levels.

Instead, Kielty was fined £1,200 and received six penalty points on his licence.

“I think it was a fair result,” said Kielty. “To be honest with you, with the price of petrol at the moment I was sort of half looking forward to a ban.”

2 July 2008