The 57 year-old ex model turned skincare entrepreneur - famously known for having the ‘longest legs in Belgravia’ - will be using them more now she has lost her licence for six months.
She appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court, where she argued caring for her 85 year-old Hampshire-based mother Janet meant keeping her licence was vital, but the court was not swayed.
Cronin, of Grosvenor Gardens Mews North, Belgravia, pleaded guilty to driving her blue 4.0 litre hybrid electric twin-turbocharged V8 Bentley Continental GT in excess of the 20mph limit.
The court heard it was 6.20pm on May 26 last year when a speed camera caught her travelling at 24mph along the A4 Cromwell Road, near the junction with Lexham Gardens, South Kensington.
She received three penalty points for the offence, which took her to a total of twelve - triggering an automatic six-month ban under totting rules.
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.
The former model, turned skincare entrepreneur 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.”
“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.
“She has a history of cervical cancer, which is in remission, has two prosthetic lenses on her eyes and a degenerative back condition and osteoporosis.
“She is in a lot of pain and has declined quite rapidly the last two years,” said Cronin of her mother.”
Living in the Hampshire village of Stubbington means there are regular medical appointments in Southampton; Portsmouth and Havant.
“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 the 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 doers not have any neighbours to help.”
However, bench Chairwoman Jo Caseby announced the “high bar” of showing “exceptional hardship” regarding a driving disqualification had not been met.
“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 moths because you are going to be disqualified from driving.”
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