RUGBY League star Kylie Leuluai’s wife has dodged a speeding ban after claiming her husband would have to quit his club and do the school run if she was banned from the roads.
Lebron Leulauai, 41, a trainee primary school teacher, had been facing disqualification under the totting up procedure after she was caught driving at 48mph in a 40mph zone in her luxury Jaguar.
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However the mum-of-three whose husband, 40, is currently Head of Operations at Super League club Warrington Wolves said a ban would force him to lose his post so he could take over child care duties.
She said the couple’s 12-year old son has a football scholarship with Manchester City and the youngster is required to attend many matches on the weekend, requiring her to drive him to cities across the UK.
She also feared her son would get lost if he was made to get public transport to football practice as routes were ”always changing.”
At Manchester Magistrates’ Court Mrs Leulauai, who lives with her husband and children in a £1,900 a month rented house in Wilmslow, Cheshire, admitted speeding but wept as she asked to be spared a ban claiming she would suffer ”exceptional hardship.”
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JPs agreed and allowed her to carry on driving – even though she now has 12 points on her licence.
The court heard Mrs Leuluai was caught speeding on January 7 this year year whilst driving her Jaguar XF along a dual carriageway in Oldham.
She had three previous speeding offences on her record from June 2015, December 2016 and August 2017, racking up nine points on her license.
ROUND THE BEND: How the 'totting up' procedure works
You can be banned from driving if you are either convicted of a driving offence, or get 12 or more penalty points within 3 years
Authorities will then send you a court summons.
The court will decide how long the disqualification will last, based on how serious they think the offence is.
You can be banned from driving if you already have 12 or more penalty points on your licence.
Your ban can last:
- 6 months, if you get 12 or more penalty points within 3 years
- 12 months, if you get a second disqualification within 3 years
- 2 years, if you get a third disqualification within 3 years
Source: www.gov.uk
But Mrs Leuluai whose Samoan husband played for Leeds Rhinos as prop forward for ten years before moving to Warrington Wolves in October last year said she needed to drive in order to maintain his job security.
Appearing unrepresented, Mrs Leuluai said: “I drive a lot, I drive to help keep my husband’s job security. I have three dependant children aged 8, 6 and 12. I do need to keep driving as it’s my responsibility for the children.
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“My husband’s job sees him work weekends and until late at night. His job is on a temporary contract and he could lose his job if he couldn’t fulfil what they need him to do.
”He works lots of evenings and weekends and whenever they need him to, it’s not a nine to five job. It would complicate my husbands job if I lose my license.
“It would affect us financially. We have recently moved from Leeds and we have been living here for two to three months. We are finally trying to get back on our feet. If he was to lose his job, there would be a loss of income.
“We do not have savings, we are using our own money to pay rent. If there is a loss of income there will be a loss of accommodation. None of our family live in the UK so we would struggle getting help to look after the children.
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“My husband is the team manager for the Warrington Wolves and he works all different hours. He has to be available. We do have two cars in the family.
“If I lost my license I wouldn’t be able to take my children to school and do what I am doing, and my husband would have to help which could jeopardise his job.
“I don’t drive really really fast, I drive so much, I’m on the road so much. It’s those 30 and 40 zones that get the better of me.”
JP Ian Scott-Dunn told her: “We have looked at what you’ve got to say.
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“What you have to prove is that it will cause you exceptional hardship to lose your licence. In this case we have considered you have proved it would be exceptional hardship.
“We have decided that is specifically due to the impact on your 12 year son’s opportunities. If you were to lose your license we recognise your husband who wouldn’t be able to take over as he could lose his job.
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“The vast majority of people who try to use exceptional hardship get their application rejected. You have been lucky today, but we believe your children would suffer exceptional hardship if you lose your license today.”
Mrs Leuluai was also fined £46, and ordered to lay £115 in court costs.
Her husband was a key figure in Leeds Rhinos success during his nine seasons at the club, winning a total of six Grand Finals, two World Club Challenges and two Challenge Cups – making him the most successful overseas player in the club’s history.