Dean Gaffney: Ex-EastEnders star fined for Barnsley speeding offence

Image caption, Dean Gaffney appeared at Sheffield Magistrates' Court

Former EastEnders and I'm A Celebrity star Dean Gaffney has been fined after pleading guilty to speeding.

Gaffney, 43, who played Robbie Jackson in the BBC soap, was caught driving at 54mph in a 40mph zone near Barnsley in December.

After pleading guilty the actor left before sentencing as he was "being harassed for selfies", Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard.

Gaffney, from Hertford, was fined £290 and given three penalty points.

He was charged after his Audi A7 activated a speed camera in the early hours of 14 December on the A616 between Langsett and Midhopestones.

A second charge of failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver was dropped after Gaffney admitted the speeding offence.

Image caption, Dean Gaffney rejoined the BBC soap between 2017 and 2019

Having admitted the offence, Gaffney asked for the "matter to be dealt with in his absence" after being recognised outside the court room.

When the magistrate asked where the actor was at the start of the hearing a court usher explained he had left the building.

The court clerk said he had asked to leave as a number of people had stopped him to ask for a photo.

Gaffney was on EastEnders between 1993 and 2003, returning for occasional guest appearances before starting a two-year return in 2017.

He also appeared in the sixth series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here in 2006, finishing in fifth place.

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