Zara Phillips' Boyfriend Banned From Driving After Being Caught Driving Drunk Last Year

Britain's Zara Phillips' boyfriend was banned from driving Thursday. England rugby player Mike Tindall was ordered not to take control of a vehicle for three years after being caught drinking and driving last March.

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Mike, 30, was stopped in his Range Rover Sport after he was seen driving erratically at speeds of over 110km/h at 10:45am. He was found to be over the legal limit, having consumed seven glasses of champagne, a vodka and Red Bull, two pints of lager and two bottles of beer at Cheltenham races - which he had attended with Zara, Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter - the previous day.

In a statement issued at the time, Mike said: "I have learned that what you perceive to be a safe time to wait before one drives after drinking, particularly the following morning, can be totally wrong. I apologize for my actions."

District Judge Davinder Lachhar said: "I would not have thought it would be surprising that he was over the limit having drunk so much."

Mike's lawyers said the sportsman had been "shocked and embarrassed" at recording a positive breath test. However, plans to submit expert evidence which claimed it took Mike longer than normal to get alcohol out of his system following a rugby injury last year, were scrapped.

In addition to losing his license, Mike - who got a 16-month ban for the same offense in 2000 - was fined Ł500 [around $750] and ordered to pay Ł75 [$115] costs.