Gareth Gates banned from driving after fourth offence in three years

Gareth Gates has been banned from driving.

The 40-year-old singer has been ordered to stay off the roads for six months after pleading guilty to driving over the speed limit on 6 April this year, his fourth offence in less than three years.

Gareth was clocked by a speed camera doing 62mph in a 50mph zone on the M4 in Port Talbot, South Wales, in his three-year-old black Range Rover Sport but had been due to fight a potential ban by claiming he would experience "exceptional hardship".

However, he withdrew the claim and emailed Cardiff Magistrates Court asking for the case to be dealt with in his absence on Thursday.

According to The Sun newspaper, District Judge Charlotte Murphy said: "Mr Gates has nine points on his license for three offences of speeding. He will be disqualified from driving for six months."

The 'Unchained Melody' hitmaker was also fined £230, which was reduced to £153 as a result of his guilty plea. Gareth previously faced a driving ban in 2017 after again clocking up points from four speeding offences.

At the time, a court heard the fourth incident had seen police stop him near his home in Bradford, West Yorkshire doing 47mph in a 30mph zone.

But the former 'Pop Idol' star was fined £1, 493 in lieu of a driving ban after he told magistrates being taken off the road would leave him unable to fulfil professional, personal and charity commitments and result in a heavy financial loss.

Gareth - who has 15-year-old daughter Missy with ex-wife Suzanne - told the court he was a "one-man band, driving himself to engagements with his Range Rover full to the brim with equipment, musical instruments, clothes and outfits".