Kirsty Gallacher: TV presenter says judge has 'no empathy' as star is banned from driving for speeding
Presenter Kirsty Gallacher has hit out at a judge who handed her a driving ban, saying that he has “no empathy” for her.
Gallacher, 49, appeared in at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, November 12, where she pleaded guilty to a single charge of speeding. The court heard that she had been caught travelling at 35mph in a 30mph zone near her home in Maidens Green, Berkshire on April 1.
The TV star, who recently revealed that she has been diagnosed with a benign brain tumour, asked District Judge Arvind Sharma to not give her a driving ban. She appealed to the judge on the ground that she needed to keep driving for work and family obligations, as well as attending medical appointments.
The most recent driving offence is Gallacher’s fifth in eight years. Previously, she pleaded guilty in court after being spotted driving erratically in 2017 and later being found to be three times over the legal alcohol limit. She was banned from driving for two years and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service at the time.
Gallacher told the court that she needed to be able to drive as she couldn’t afford to pay taxis or a private driver to transport herself and her teenage sons as she is the sole financial provider for the family. She told the court that she earns £150,000 per year from her Gold Radio role and has around £80,000 in savings.
Judge Sharma said: “I accept that things will be harder for you, but those are all manageable. I don't accept that your son needs a lift every morning, and you have adequate money saved up that you can use taxis for your children and yourself.”
Gallacher, who already had nine points on her licence from three offences in September 2023 and August 2024, was handed a six-month ban and fined £1,044 by the court. She later told the Daily Mail: “There's no empathy. I'm just an ordinary mum with plates spinning, I do everything. With my health as well, it's going to be very difficult.”
In 2021, Gallacher was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, which is a benign tumour that sits on the nerve connecting the ear to the brain. She has since spoken about experiencing tinnitus and deafness in her left ear as a result of the medical issue.
During her hearing, Gallacher told the court: “I have a brain tumour, an acoustic neuroma – it is benign. But it's growing very fast. They have monitored it for the last three years. I am now doing radiotherapy. We don't know if the radiotherapy is going to work, if it will shrink [the tumour] or not. It's a bit of a suck it and see situation.”
Last month, she revealed that she was attacked in the middle of the street in central London by a stranger who was dressed “all in black, covered up”. The TV star said that the man walked towards her while she made her way to her car after finishing work before physically assaulting her on October 28.
Gallacher said in a video posted to Instagram: “Last night I was physically assaulted in the streets of central London, walking from work to my car – the walk I do most nights.
“The streets were lit, there were people around, I was walking on the pavement and I noticed this guy all in black covered up, just walking at me, and I’m always vigilant, and he was just walking towards me and I thought this is not right, so I moved out of the way.
“Then he brushed past me, he turned around and he kicked me – like he was kicking a football – he kicked me in the middle of a street at about seven o’clock last night in front of people, I turned around and he scarpered. I’m still shocked now, and I have the bruises to prove it I’m afraid, I can’t quite believe what happened – I was not being provocative in any way, I was just going about my business.”
She revealed during her court appearance that police now believe that the attack was targeted, saying: “I'm broken at the moment, from everything. I'm broken from the health issues, exacerbated by the assault. I'm very sad to be standing here and I'm sorry.
“I feel a bit broken. In general, my confidence is terrible. I'm second-guessing everyone behind me. I'm seeing someone for my anxiety. I'm aware of London's risks or any big city's risk, but I didn't expect this to happen. I'm a one-man band.
“It is the way it is. I'm as careful as I can be... I don't throw my money around. I'm a mum who has worked very hard to this point, to make sure my children's needs are met.”