Ex-Westlife star is caught speeding 4 times in 3 years
FORMER Westlife star Brian McFadden has been banned from driving for six months after being caught speeding in his Mercedes.
McFadden, who lives in Rochdale, was clocked doing 39mph in 30mph zone in Nottingham, a court heard.
He admitted breaking the speed limit on December 19 and was disqualified because it was his fourth speeding offence in three years.
The singer was fined £335 with £85 prosecution costs and a £33 government surcharge.
He asked Nottingham magistrates to give him a shorter ban, saying it would hamper him getting to October gigs with Boyzlife, a band he set up with exBoyzone star Keith Duffy.
Danielle Manson, defending, said McFadden had considered alternative ways of getting around but these were not practical.
He also travelled widely as he promoted his solo career.
And he could not afford to pay the £800 a day that would be necessary to employ two drivers to ferry him around the UK, she said.
But, after reading details of his earnings, presiding JP Pete Dexter told him: “We believe you have the means to make arrangements, whether by taxi, public transport of other ways.”
Miss Manson said that Boyzlife was a limited company owned by McFadden and Keith Duffy.
She told the court: “A six-month disqualification would have a catastrophic effect on the company. It would have a catastrophic effect on Mr Duffy, a third party and innocent person in all this.”
Thomas Edwards, prosecuting, sug- gested that Duffy could drive both of them to Boyzlife concerts.
But McFadden, who moved to Rochdale in 2017 to live with his girlfriend, said: “That is a lot to ask. It is a lot to ask anybody.”
After the hearing, McFadden said: “It speaks for itself. I will have to manage.
“But I can’t believe I have got a sixmonth ban and a £453 fine for doing 39mph.”
He said that he also needed his car to promote a solo album of Otis Redding songs, due out next month.
A single from the album, a song entitled Angel, written by Redding and once performed by Aretha Franklin, is to be released.
Dublin-born McFadden became famous in 1998 as a member of boy band Westlife. His abilities were spotted by music manager Louis Walsh, who has often been a judge on Britain’s Got Talent.
He later launched a solo career, which brought No 1 singles in several countries, including Ireland and Denmark as well as the UK.