Stone Roses star keeps licence after clocking 105mph

STONE Roses frontman Ian Brown escaped a driving ban yesterday after he was clocked speeding at 105mph.

Brown, 48, of Lymm, Cheshire, appeared before Chester magistrates, who fined him £650 and endorsed his driving licence with six penalty points after he pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to speeding in his Lexus car on the M6. Brown, wearing a shirt and tie and a large black jacket, thanked magistrates after his lawyer, Nick Freeman, argued that a driving ban would have caused him “insurmountable” difficulties in relation to seeing his 11-year-old son who lives in London with his mother.

His lawyer also outlined the difficulties a ban would create for his client to attend Stone Roses rehearsals which are taking place at “a remote secret location”. Brown, who appeared in court under his full name, Ian George Brown, was also ordered to pay £300 prosecution costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

On leaving court, the singer refused to comment on the case but stopped to sign an autograph for a radio journalist.

The Stone Roses made headlines last week when 220,000 tickets for their Manchester gigs sold out in 60 minutes – becoming the fastest-selling rock gigs in UK history.