S Club's Rachel Stevens fails to dodge driving ban after clocking up 21 points for speeding as she tells court she is still traumatised by mugging and shooting 15 years ago - and needs her car for the school run after breaking up with childhood sweetheart

S Club star Rachel Stevens has failed to dodge a driving ban after racking up several speeding offences - as she tearfully told a court how she was still traumatised by a mugging and a shooting 15 years ago.

The 45-year-old told magistrates that she was 'absolutely terrified' when she was robbed of her engagement ring by three muggers on her north London doorstep in June 2009.

Just a couple of weeks later, she then witnessed a suspected gangland shooting while enjoying a quiet meal with her family at popular celebrity restaurant Harry Morgan in St John's Wood. 

The singer was visibly emotional at Willesden Magistrates' Court as she recalled the separate incidents which she said has left her with post-traumatic stress and anxiety and that she struggles to be in cars alone with strangers.

Ms Stevens, who shot to fame with S Club 7 in 1999, pleaded to keep hold of her driving licence after clocking up 21 penalty points from five speeding incidents since 2019.

The Standard reports that Ms Stevens said a driving ban would impact her upcoming tour with S Club and cause difficulties for her school run duties. 

She told the court: 'I've absolutely learned my lesson, without a doubt.' 

Magistrates rejected Ms Stevens' plea and suggested that she should hire a driver instead. She was handed a six-month road ban and hit with £2,000 in fines, plus an £800 victim surcharge and an additional £100 in costs, totalling £2,900.

Ms Stevens, who had recently starred on Strictly Come Dancing when she was robbed, told the court how a man jumped into her front door, putting his hand around her mouth and his arm around her neck.

She said that she thought her celebrity status was behind the robbery, citing that a few others in the public eye had also been targeted around the same time.

Meanwhile of the shooting, she said that she was 'incredibly terrified' when a gunman opened fire, forcing her and her family to hide under the table.

She told the court: 'The two incidents that happened so close together definitely caused a lot of post-traumatic stress. After that, I felt scared to even leave my house, get out of my car and I was just very fearful.' 

Ms Stevens added that she does not take taxis on her own and hasn't used the 'claustrophobic' Tube for many years - as she pleaded with magistrates to spare her a driving ban as it would create 'exceptional hardship' for her.

The singer was pulled over by a Met Police officer in September last year when she clocked 41mph in her BMW X3 series while driving through a 20mph zone in Regent's Park.

She already had nine points on her licence from previous speeding offences and two months later - on November 7 last year - she was caught driving 42mph on the same stretch of road.

In a desperate bid to avoid a driving ban, she also opened up about how her marriage to Alex Bourne had broken down.

Ms Stevens announced her split from childhood sweetheart Alex in July after 12 years of marriage. 

She told the court that she wanted her two daughters to feel as 'secure and safe' as possible after experiencing huge changes in their lives.

Three magistrates however decided that Ms Stevens had been driving at an  'exceptionally dangerous speed…when pedestrians and cyclists are around'. 

The decision follows a difficult year for Ms Stevens who lost her friend and S Club 7 bandmate Paul Cattermole, who died suddenly at the age of 46 at his home in Dorset in May.

Following his tragic death, the group rebranded to 'S Club' ahead of their reunion tour.