02 June 2023 , 17:23
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Noel Gallagher has been prosecuted for a driving offence - despite famously never learning how to drive.
The Oasis star was handed a fine and six penalty points by the Metropolitan Police when his Range Rover, which is chauffeur driven, was caught speeding last October.
The incident happened in west London, and Gallagher was accused of not responding to police letters asking for the name of the driver. The confusion had been blamed on the postal strikes that hit the UK last winter.
Earlier this week, at Willesden magistrates court, Gallagher pleaded guilty to the offence and was fined £742 as well as costs and fees totalling £396. He was also given six penalty points, which will be added to his licence if he ever gets one.
His driver Alan Neeson wrote to the court, documents obtained by the Evening Standard, revealed. He wrote: "I am employed by Mr Noel Gallagher as his personal driver and also I am solely responsible for correspondence and other matters regarding vehicles. Even though the vehicle involved in said offence is registered to Mr Gallagher, (he) does not hold a driving license hence why I am sending this statement. The initial offence charge sheet was never received and the final reminder was not received until mid-January.
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Noel previously explained what put him off driving in the 90s (Getty Images)"I believe the reason for this is, as well publicised, there was a postal strike before Christmas which I believe led to this delay. This coupled with the Christmas post is the only logical explanation as to why these letter was received so late."
Alan said he had been the driver at the time of the speeding incident.
Noel famously has never learned to drive after admitting fans had mobbed him during a lesson he tried to take in the 1990s.
"I'm in a red Nissan Micra with a massive great big triangle on the top of it with an L, with all these kids coming out. This is at the height of Oasis mania. I was like, 'never, never again am I getting in a car,'" he recalled recently.
He also revealed the driving instructor ended up taking him to her house, where her mum started snapping photos. He added: "I was driving around a housing estate in Slough, right. She said to me, 'And if we just indicate and pull over here,' and I pulled over, she got out of the car and said, 'I’ll be back in a minute,' and she came back with her mum.
"She’d driven me to her house and her mum was taking pictures of me in the street. And this was before mobile phones, so it was like a snappy snaps camera, and then the local comprehensive school’s bell went and they all came out."