Real Housewives of London star Amanda Cronin was banned from the roads today after she was caught speeding in her new £250,000 Bentley.
The 57-year-old ex model-turned-skincare entrepreneur – famously known for having the ‘longest legs in Belgravia’ – appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court for her fourth speeding offence in less than three years.
Cronin, of Belgravia, pleaded guilty to driving her blue V8 Bentley Continental GT at 4mph above the 20mph limit on the A4.
She was caught in excess of the limit at 6.20pm on May 26 last year, near the junction with Lexham Gardens, South Kensington.
The Real Housewives star received three penalty points for the offence, but due to her history of speeding offences this took her to a total of twelve – triggering an automatic six-month ban.
The wealthy divorcee already had nine points on her licence for speeding offences in 30mph zones on October 10, 2023, August 21, 2024 and November 3, 2024.
Cronin had pleaded with the court not to issue a ban, arguing that caring for her 85 year-old Hampshire-based mother Janet meant keeping her licence was vital.
But a judge disagreed and handed her the standard six-month ban.
Real Housewives of London star Amanda Cronin was banned from the roads today (Pictured: Ms Cronin leaving Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Friday)
Cronin, of Grosvenor Gardens Mews North, Belgravia, pleaded guilty to driving her blue V8 Bentley Continental GT at 4mph above the 20mph limit on the A4 on May 26 last year
Cronin was also fined £146, with £130 costs and ordered to pay a £58 victim surcharge.
Wearing a white cashmere-style coat, Prince of Wales check trousers and tan-coloured high-heel boots Cronin told the magistrates her driving licence was vital to run her poorly mother to important medical appointments.
‘She is still living on her own and I am very close to my mother and spend as much time as I can with her when I am not working,’ Cronin – the former girlfriend of Wham!’s Andrew Ridgeley – told the court.
‘She is a huge part of my life and I am a huge part of her life and she is trying to live independently.’
Her mother has been a widow for twenty years. Cronin’s Leatherhead-based sister does not drive and her freelance cameraman brother lives in Brixton with his own family commitments, the court was told.
‘I have a beauty company and a clinic and a television show as well,’ explained Cronin, who is one of six glamorous women who star in the reality show, which began streaming on Hayu last year.
Cronin told the court her mother is currently in remission from cervical cancer, has two prosthetic lenses on her eyes, a degenerative back condition and osteoporosis.
‘She is in a lot of pain and has declined quite rapidly the last two years,’ she said, adding her mother has to attend regular medical appointments in Southampton, Portsmouth and Havant.
Cronin (right) is one of six cast members of The Real Housewives of London, which began streaming on Hayu last year
Cronin continued: ‘I drive to get to her. I am deeply embarrassed and ashamed that I am here today in front of you.
‘My mother will have to lean on me and she is a stubborn woman and may not get the care and medical support she needs if I do not have my car.
‘It is going to be stressful. She is not going to accept going in a taxi and going to appointments in rush hour.
‘It will be very, very stressful for her to get around by taxi even with me and I feel she will not want to lean on me as much during the driving ban period. That is my greatest fear.
‘If it was up to me I would have my mother live with me. We have had that conversation, but she says she is not ready.’
Cronin told the court her mother recently had double hip surgery and fell on wet leaves in her garden, injuring her face and wrist.
‘There has been a decline in her mobility and stability and in the last few months, it seems to be falling off a cliff.
‘Her vertigo has been going on for ten years now and the attacks can be quite long. She has chest infections post-covid and does not have any neighbours to help.’
However, bench Chairwoman Jo Caseby said the ‘high bar’ of showing ‘exceptional hardship’ regarding a driving disqualification had not been met.
She said: ‘We need to make it clear these courts do not often change course. Exceptional hardship is a high bar and the hardship has to be exceptional.
‘We have a lot of sympathy for your mother and you are clearly a considerate daughter, but there are solutions to these things.
‘You are going to have to put together other arrangements for six months because you are going to be disqualified from driving.’
