Pop star Samantha Mumba was caught driving down a motorway in Dublin without tax, insurance or a driving licence, a court heard today.
The 22-year-old, who is to appear in a forthcoming gangster film with Vinnie Jones, appeared at Dublin's District Court.
Samantha Mumba and her mother, Barbara, after leaving Dublin District Court where she faced driving charges today
She was charged with failing to produce a driving licence and insurance certificate and having no driving licence, insurance disc and motor tax disc when she was stopped on the M1 in Santry on November 22nd last year.
Mumba, from Drumcondra, dressed in a black top and a black skirt with brown boots, told the court that she had been fully insured at the time.
"I did have a licence, I didn't have it on me," she said. Garda John Faherty checked her insurance certificate and told Judge Angela Ni Chonduin that it was in order. The court heard that she had applied to renew her driving licence last month.
Judge Ni Chonduin told her that she could either ask for the case to be put back to give her time to produce the relevant documents or go ahead with it today.
Mumba replied: "No, go ahead today."
But Judge Ni Chonduin warned that this would mean she would have to face the consequences and said she would give her the same opportunity as everyone else who came before the court.
She set September 21st for the date for Mumba to appear before the court again.
Mumba, who drove to court in her 2003 BMW, left without making any comments afterwards.
Mumba shot to prominence at the age of 17 when she was discovered by Louis Walsh, the pop guru who also brought Boyzone and Westlife to international fame.
She released several hit singles and also began an acting career, starring in the recent Hollywood adaptation of HG Wells' The Time Machine. She is due to appear as a drug addict in a gangster film, Johnny Was, starring former Wimbledon footballer Vinnie Jones and The Who's frontman Roger Daltrey.
The film is being shot in London and Belfast.