Blue singer Lee Ryan tells court he cannot afford £1,500 fine

Lee Ryan has told a court he cannot afford to pay a fine for failing to provide details about who was driving his car when it was caught speeding.

The Blue singer, 38, was charged with driving a Mercedes at 70mph in a 60mph limit in Peterborough twice last year.

The charges were dismissed, but Ryan was found guilty after a trial for two counts of failing to provide information about the driver.

He said he could not afford the £1,501 fine and costs.

Speaking via a remote link from Spain, he told Peterborough Magistrates' Court he was "out of work due to Covid".

"I just don't have the money," he said.

Court papers said he was charged with driving a Mercedes at 70mph in a 60mph limit on Fletton Parkway, Peterborough, on 8 August, and driving a Mercedes at 71mph on the same road on 22 August - both last year.

But these charges were dismissed as the prosecution offered no evidence, due to there being no means of proving who was driving.

Ryan went on trial for two counts of failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver when required, and was found guilty by magistrates.

The singer, who insisted during the hearing that he had sent off the required information, was told if the money was not paid he could be brought back to court and find himself in prison.

Magistrate Alison Marsh gave Ryan two lots of six points against his licence, resulting in a disqualification from driving for 12 months.

In regard to the fine, she said magistrates took into account the fact the music industry had been "severely hit" by the coronavirus pandemic, and decided to charge him for one offence.

Ryan said: "I'm not working. I mean, they've stopped the gigs. I don't have any gigs."

It was put to Ryan that there are shows going on in the UK.

"I've not got anything," he said. "I haven't got anything."

He was asked if it would be unreasonable to think he may have some savings, and he said: "No, I spent them all in Covid."

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