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<\/p>\nS Club star Rachel Stevens has failed to dodge a driving ban after racking up several speeding offences – as she tearfully told a court how she was still traumatised by a mugging and a shooting 15 years ago.<\/p>\n
The 45-year-old told magistrates that she was ‘absolutely terrified’ when\u00a0she was robbed of her engagement ring by three muggers on her north London doorstep in June 2009.<\/p>\n
Just a couple of weeks later, she then witnessed a suspected gangland shooting while enjoying a quiet meal with her family at popular celebrity restaurant\u00a0Harry Morgan in St John’s Wood.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The singer was visibly emotional at Willesden Magistrates’ Court as she recalled the separate incidents which she said has left her with post-traumatic stress and anxiety and that she struggles to be in cars alone with strangers.<\/p>\n
Ms Stevens, who shot to fame with S Club 7 in 1999, pleaded to keep hold of her driving licence after clocking up 21 penalty points from five speeding incidents since 2019.<\/p>\n
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S Club star Rachel Stevens (performing at Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball last week) has failed to dodge a driving ban after racking up several speeding offences<\/p>\n
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The 45-year-old told magistrates that she was ‘absolutely terrified’ when she was robbed of her engagement ring by three muggers on her north London doorstep in June 2009 – and then witnessed a gun attack just weeks later. Pictured: Ms Stevens at the Capital Jingle Bell Ball last week<\/p>\n
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Rachel Stevens pictured leaving her north London home the day after she was mugged of her engagement ring on the doorstep of her north London home in June 2009<\/p>\n
The Standard reports that Ms Stevens said a driving ban would impact her upcoming tour with S Club and cause difficulties for her school run duties.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She told the court: ‘I’ve absolutely learned my lesson, without a doubt.’\u00a0<\/p>\n
Magistrates rejected Ms Stevens’ plea and suggested that she should hire a driver instead. She was handed a six-month road ban and hit with \u00a32,000 in fines, plus an \u00a3800 victim surcharge and an additional \u00a3100 in costs, totalling \u00a32,900.<\/p>\n
Ms Stevens, who had recently starred on Strictly Come Dancing when she was robbed, told the court how a man jumped into her front door, putting his hand around her mouth and his arm around her neck.<\/p>\n
She said that she thought her celebrity status was behind the robbery, citing that a few others in the public eye had also been targeted around the same time.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile of the shooting, she said that she was ‘incredibly terrified’ when a gunman opened fire, forcing her and her family to hide under the table.<\/p>\n
She told the court: ‘The two incidents that happened so close together definitely caused a lot of post-traumatic stress. After that, I felt scared to even leave my house, get out of my car and I was just very fearful.’\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ms Stevens added that she does not take taxis on her own and hasn’t used the ‘claustrophobic’ Tube for many years – as she pleaded with magistrates to spare her a driving ban as it would create ‘exceptional hardship’ for her.<\/p>\n
The singer was pulled over by a Met Police officer in September last year when she clocked 41mph in her BMW X3 series while driving through a 20mph zone in Regent’s Park.<\/p>\n
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Ms Stevens also witnessed a gun attack while enjoying a quiet meal with her family at popular celebrity restaurant Harry Morgan in St John’s Wood in June 2009. Pictured: Gunshot holes in the window of the popular Harry Morgan Restaurant in St Johns Wood<\/p>\n
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S Club is celebrating their 25th anniversary tour without Hannah Spearritt, 42, who opted out following the tragic death of group member and her former partner Paul Cattermole<\/p>\n
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The group appeared in sync with their matching outfits at the Capital Jingle Bell Ball on Sunday<\/p>\n
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Rachel Stevens of S Club performs at The O2 Arena on October 27 in London<\/p>\n
She already had nine points on her licence from previous speeding offences and two months later – on November 7 last year – she was caught driving 42mph on the same stretch of road.<\/p>\n
In a desperate bid to avoid a driving ban, she also opened up about how her marriage to Alex Bourne had broken down.<\/p>\n
Ms Stevens announced her split from childhood sweetheart Alex in July after 12 years of marriage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She told the court that she wanted her two daughters to feel as ‘secure and safe’ as possible after experiencing huge changes in their lives.<\/p>\n
Three magistrates however decided that Ms Stevens had been driving at an\u00a0 ‘exceptionally dangerous speed\u2026when pedestrians and cyclists are around’.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The decision follows a difficult year for Ms Stevens who lost her friend and\u00a0S Club 7 bandmate Paul Cattermole, who died suddenly at the age of 46 at his home in Dorset in May.<\/p>\n
Following his tragic death, the group rebranded to ‘S Club’ ahead of their reunion tour.\u00a0<\/p>\n