Driving ban: Zara Phillips partner

England rugby star Mike Tindall gets three-year road ban

England rugby player Mike Tindall has been hit with a three-year driving ban, after being convicted of drink driving.

The 30-year-old sports star, who is the partner of Zara Phillips, admitted to being over the limit when police pulled him over in March last year.

Although he had not drank alcohol on the morning of his conviction, he had spent the previous day at the Cheltenham Festival with Phillips, where it was noted that he had drank seven glasses of champagne, four beers and a vodka and Red Bull.

When police spotted him the next day, driving on the M4 near Newbury, he was perceieved to be driving 'erratically.'

The police pulled him over, and the court was told, 'When speaking to Mr Tindall they could smell alcohol on his breath. He confirmed he had drunk alcohol the day before but not that day.'

After conducting a blood test, it was confirmed that he had a 91mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The limit is 80mg.

In court at Reading Magistrates' yesterday, his barrister Mark Milliken-Smith argued that Tindall was had a low rate for alcohol elimination, after being assessed by a liver expert.

Mr Milliken-Smith added that Tindall was 'shocked and embarrassed' when the breath test confirmed that he was over the limit.

On being found guilty, Tindall will now pay £500 in fines, plus £75 costs. He will also take part in a drink-drive rehabilitation course.

District Judge Davinder Lachhar noted she was not surprised that he was still over the limit 'having drunk so much.'

This is the second time Tindall has been convicted for drink driving, after facing the same charge in 2000, when he was banned for 16 months.

Although he refused to comment on leaving the court, Tindall later said via a statement, 'I have learnt that what you perceive to be a safe time to wait before one drives after drinking, particularly the following morning, can be totally wrong and I apologise for my actions.'