Pop Idol star Gareth Gates banned from driving after clocking up four speeding offences in under three years

SINGER Gareth Gates has been banned from driving after clocking up four speeding offences in under three years.

The Pop Idol star was clocked by a speed camera doing 62mph in a 50mph zone of the M4 in South Wales.

Gates, 40, was due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates Court but sent an email asking for it to be dealt with in his absence.

He pleaded guilty to speeding in his three-year-old black Range Rover Sport at Port Talbot on April 6.

Gates, runner-up in the first series of Pop Idol in 2002, was due to fight the ban claiming he would suffer "exceptional hardship".

But District Judge Charlotte Murphy heard Gates withdrew the claim before Thursday's hearing.

Judge Murphy said: "Mr Gates has nine points on his license for three offences of speeding. He will be disqualified from driving for six months."

Gates, of Keighley, Bradford, was fined £230 but because he pleaded guilty it was knocked down to £153.

The singer was caught by a notorious automatic camera device on the Pentyla Seaway Parade Bridge near Junction 41 of the M4.

Gates has a history of speeding to and from personal engagements and charity events across the UK.

He narrowly avoided losing his license in 2017 when he racked up 12 points for four speeding offences.

The final one was near his home in Bradford when police pulled him over for doing 47mph in a 30mph zone in his RangeRover.

He told magistrates at the time that a ban would result in a heavy financial loss to others and leave him unable to fulfil professional, personal and charity commitments.

The court heard he was a "one-man band, driving himself to engagements with his Range Rover full to the brim with equipment, musical instruments, clothes and outfits".

On that occasion he was hit with a £1,493 fine.

Three disappointed fans turned up at Cardiff Magistrates Court hoping to see the Pop Idol favourite.