KATIE
Price has been banned from driving for a year – but blamed her fiancé
Leandro Penna for the speeding offences.
The glamour girl also attempted to escape punishment by insisting she failed
to see two speeding tickets sent to her home address, telling Bromley
Magistrates’ Court she never opens her own post.
Her white Range Rover was caught on camera whizzing through London on
September 5 and 6 last year.
Katie, 34, said the penalties were for a vehicle “going to waste” on her
driveway in Horsham, West Sussex, insisting she only ever drives her beloved
pink Range Rover.
The Sun columnist – aka Jordan – told the court her Argentinian partner
Leandro was the sole user of her old 4×4.
She claimed she only became aware of the speeding tickets in April or May this
year when she was sent a court summons for failing to respond to previous
notices.
Katie said: “We checked it out and we saw it was the white Range Rover and I
said, ‘Oh well, it definitely wasn’t me, because I have got the pink one and
I always drive my pink Range Rover.’
“I have got three other cars that I don’t really drive, they’re just on the
driveway.
“There’s other people insured on them if they want to drive them.
“I know on the Monday that Leo, my other half, took his family, because they
were visiting from Argentina, to London and got back late because his
sister’s boyfriend got mugged in the pub, and on the Tuesday morning it was
the kids’ first day at school.
“I know it was Leo, he was the only one who drove that car, he didn’t have
another car to drive.
“Because I got my pink car that year, I am obsessed with driving my pink car.”
She added: “Well, I might not be after today.”
Katie also insisted she left her mum in charge of opening her mail.
The model said: “My mum does the post, she checks it all. Well, she opens my
post.
“Anything that needs to go to the management, she pays my bills, she’s got my
chequebook, she does everything for me – I know that sounds bad.”
Katie – who also claims she was moving house at the time the tickets were sent
– was found guilty of two counts of failing to give information regarding a
driver’s identity as required.
The star who already had six points on her licence, was given an additional
six penalty points and subsequently banned from being on the road for 12
months.
She was ordered to pay a £400 fine along with £350 costs and a victim
surcharge of £15.
Her ban was suspended pending an appeal.