A SINGER who had a string of hits in the noughties wept in court as she was handed a ban for driving without insurance and having dangerous tyres.
Jamelia – whose hits include Superstar, Thank You and See it in a Boys Eyes – was stopped by police on August 24 last year on the A491 in Hopwood.
The Loose Women panelist had already pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle, namely a Ford S-Max Titanium TDCI, without third party insurance and for having two tyres with insufficient tread and a third with a lump, bulge or tear at a court hearing on November 20.
She appeared for sentencing at Redditch Magistrates’ Court on Monday (January 13) under her full name Jamelia Davis, where she told the court she was unaware she had no insurance until she was stopped by the police because her last insurance policy was purchased online and she presumed it would be renewed automatically.
Magistrates were also told because the Barnt Green resident was a self-employed, freelance, singer, television presenter and actress she could not guarantee where her next pay cheque would come from. It was also revealed that, last year she earned about £80,000 before tax.
The 32-year-old was warned she could face a six-month driving ban but the single mum-of-two, who does a 45 minute school run twice a day, said she did not have any family members or friends who could take her children to and from school for such a lengthy amount of time.
The Brit Award winner added because of her unreliable income she could not guarantee she would be able to afford a taxi for such a long period of time, as it would cost around £70-a-day.
The court heard there were no available school bus services from Barnt Green and to catch the train and walk a five-mile round trip everyday would be particularly hard on the star’s youngest.
She added if she was to catch the train it would mean her children would be exposed to a lot of unwanted attention on a daily basis and it would put a strain on the family as she would not be able to make multiple trips to pick them up from after school clubs.
The star wiped a tear from her eye as she was handed a 45-day driving ban, was fined £455 and ordered to pay £60 in costs.
She was told by magistrates: “This could have been very dangerous – driving a car in this condition – especially for your children.
“We recommend that you find someone to look at your car as soon as possible.”
