"Am I Online?' Price Leaves Court |
Publicity-hungry wannabe Katie Price was obsessed with press coverage at her driving ban appeal - while publicising the hearing herself and taking pictures outside.
She appeared at Woolwich Crown Court, where she successfully cut her driving disqualification from 24 months to 18 months.
The 41 year-old professional celebrity insisted she needed her licence to drive around her disabled son Harvey - then in front of the judge and magistrates condemned the reporter in court for daring to repeat her case.
Despite screaming press were intruding into her private family life by covering the appeal she allowed her flunkies to take pictures of her arrival, which were immediately sold to the tabloids.
Price claimed the two-year ban amounted to “exceptional hardship” and told Judge Michael Evans QC she had five children, aged five to seventeen years-old.
Apart from her eldest Harvey, she has shared care with the other four children. “I’m divorced so I have them fifty-fifty. They have their set days and we stick with that.
She claimed her nearest train station, Horsham, was a fifteen minute drive away. “I live in the middle of nowhere. There was a bus stop outside my house, but they don’t use it anymore, in fact I’ve never seen a bus.
“My mum is twenty minutes away, but I was told last year she is terminally ill. She used to help me with Harvey, but he’s too much work, he’s too big and most people couldn’t handle Harvey.
“They all go to different schools, Jett and Bunny go to the same one, Princess and Junior to to Box Hill and Harvey goes to Wimbledon.
“I drive them and pick them up and the do football, gymnastics and horse riding.”
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Price told the court as well as the school run she needs a licence for emergency hospital dashes for twenty-six stone Harvey.
“He takes medication six times a day and if he doesn’t take it he will die. If he bangs his head he has to go to hospital or he will get a fit and die.
“This year I have taken him three times to hospital. It is quicker to drive him than take an ambulance. It is quicker for me to drive than take an ambulance because I live in the middle of nowhere”
Price said Harvey could not cope with anyone but her driving him and she needs her licence to pick-up medication from his GP and drive it to his Wimbledon school, where he lives during the week.
“I couldn’t have a taxi driver because if they bang the door he will go for the windscreen and if they click the seat belt without warning he will kick off.
“Friends can’t take him. You have to know how to talk to him.
“Not being able to drive will effect my life massively. The nearest shop is a mile walk and I can’t cycle because there’s no pavements where I live.
“I’m also on my fourth kidnap threat. Three months ago we heard from Scotland Yard.
“I need to have a car so I can get out and get away.”
Prosecutor Mr. Richard Job asked Price if she had explored the possibility of council-run community transport, but she insisted it wouldn’t be practical.
“Harvey would lash out at everybody on the bus. I don’t think that would work anyway. It would be too dangerous.
“I’d have to hire a driver, but I can’t, I’m bankrupt at the moment. There literally isn’t anyone, it has been a struggle.
“Everyone is scared to put Harvey in their car because they’ve seen what he’s done to my car.
“They told me I can get a mobility car, where it is kitted out to fit him and he can get disability allowance.”
She told the court her ex-husband was not available to assist. “No, he cheated on me seven times so he’s not coming back.”
As for Harvey’s father, ex-footballer Dwight Yorke, 48, Price said: “He doesn’t want to know. He hasn’t seen him since he was four because of his disabilities.
“I’ve been married twice. none of them want to know about Harvey when I’ve split up with them.”
“Because of him, rather than you, we’ve decided your disqualification of two years amounts to exceptional hardship,” said Judge Evans, sitting with two magistrates.
“Your driving record is appalling, you know that,” the judge told Price. “You have displayed a degree of arrogance, knowing the effect of disqualification if you accumulate points.
“We have very little sympathy for you because of your driving record, but we do have sympathy for those who suffer the consequences of your reckless behaviour.”
Price’s disqualification was reduced from twenty-four to eighteen months.