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England rugby star's driving ban | England rugby star's driving ban |
(40 minutes later) | |
England and Gloucester rugby player Mike Tindall has been banned from driving for three years. | England and Gloucester rugby player Mike Tindall has been banned from driving for three years. |
The Gloucester centre, boyfriend of Zara Phillips, admitted being over the legal drink-drive limit on the M4 in Berkshire, on 15 March last year. | The Gloucester centre, boyfriend of Zara Phillips, admitted being over the legal drink-drive limit on the M4 in Berkshire, on 15 March last year. |
He was arrested the morning after attending the Cheltenham Racing Festival with Ms Phillips. | He was arrested the morning after attending the Cheltenham Racing Festival with Ms Phillips. |
Tindall, 30, of Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, was also fined £500 with £75 costs by Reading Magistrates. | Tindall, 30, of Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, was also fined £500 with £75 costs by Reading Magistrates. |
The court was told that on the evening before his arrest, Tindall had drunk three beers followed by seven glasses of champagne. | |
He later went to a restaurant where he drank a further beer and a vodka and Red Bull, finishing drinking at around midnight. | |
He was arrested the following morning, at about 1045 GMT, and taken to Newbury police station where he gave a blood test. | |
Officers recorded a level of 91mg of alcohol in 100ml of Tindall's blood. The legal limit is 80mg per 100ml. | |
At the time of the offence, Tindall was out of action with a bruised liver, which he suffered playing against Wales. | At the time of the offence, Tindall was out of action with a bruised liver, which he suffered playing against Wales. |
Erratic driving | |
He had been driving alone to Twickenham in a Range Rover Sport to commentate on England's Six Nations game against Ireland, on the day of his arrest. | |
The court was told the attention of motorway police was drawn to Tindall's Range Rover Sport which appeared to be exceeding the 70mph speed limit. | |
Officers followed and watched the vehicle being driven "erratically" and touching the white lines on either side of the lane. | |
After it swerved across all three lanes into Reading Service Station police decided to speak to the driver about the manner of his driving. | |
When speaking to Tindall they could smell alcohol on his breath. He admitted he had drunk alcohol the day before but not that day, the court heard. |