Actor Shane Richie received a six-month driving ban on September 23 after admitting to a speeding violation in Reigate, Surrey. The 62-year-old television star was also fined £500 by Guildford Magistrates’ Court and ordered to pay additional court costs and surcharges.
Speed cameras caught Richie driving his Ford at 35mph in a 30mph zone along Reigate Hill on March 15 at 9:16 a.m. The case was processed privately under the Single Justice Procedure after Richie submitted a written guilty plea to the court.
Court Penalties and Statements
Magistrate Sheila Hewitt presided over Guildford Magistrates’ Court, where the penalties were finalized. Alongside the £500 fine, the actor-whose legal name is Shane Roche-was ordered to cover costs and a victim surcharge.
In a written statement submitted to the magistrate, the EastEnders star explained that constant media intrusion influenced his driving behavior on the day of the incident. He stated he had been tailed by photographers following his personal life and ongoing public divorce.
This is not an excuse for going five miles over the limit, but just a reason why I may have sped up on that particular road, Richie stated in his written court submission.
Career Background and Separate Legal Matters
Best known for his long-running role as Alfie Moon in the BBC soap opera EastEnders since 2002, Richie resides in Tadworth, Surrey. Beyond his soap career, he has worked extensively as a television presenter, game show host, and pantomime performer. He also finished fourth on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2020.
The speeding conviction arrives as the actor also faces a separate legal matter regarding an allegation of drink-driving, which he firmly denies. That charge stems from an incident at a petrol station in Harlow, Ess*x, on July 29, with a trial scheduled at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.
