Former Miss Russia Marinika Smirnova found herself in a bit of a pickle recently when she was caught using her phone while driving her fancy Porsche near her £4.7 million Kensington home in West London.
The 40-year-old socialite and model seemed to scramble to hide her phone when she realized she was being filmed. But alas, the evidence was clear, and she has been convicted of using her handheld mobile while driving.
Now, here’s the kicker: she didn’t even show up in court! Instead, she was slapped with a £220 fine, along with £620 in costs and an £88 victim surcharge. And let’s not forget the cherry on top – six points on her driver’s license for the incident that happened in Hyde Park on December 10 last year.
The video that got her in hot water was shot by none other than ‘CyclingMikey,’ a YouTuber known for catching celeb motorists in the act. According to him, he was just strolling through the park with his bike when he spotted Smirnova behind the wheel of her red Porsche 911 Targa 4S.
He recounted, “I saw the lit-up screen on the phone and some changes in the apps she was navigating through. As I leaned in, the female driver put the phone away and looked at me – a disdainful look, and I don’t blame her for that.”
While ‘CyclingMikey’ didn’t recognize the driver at the time, a little internet sleuthing later revealed her celebrity status. However, he clarified, “I look for road behaviors, not particular people or particular cars, although I do admire her good personal plate.”
Smirnova didn’t do herself any favors by ignoring a police offer of a fixed penalty notice. That decision escalated the case to court. She did try to delay the hearing, claiming she was out of the country, but the magistrates were having none of it.
To give you some context, Smirnova is quite the notable figure. She’s the daughter of Soviet gymnastics champion Elena Kolesnikova and the great-niece of Pierre Smirnoff, the man behind vodka distillation in Moscow since 1818. Plus, she even won the title of Miss Russia back in 2008 and made an appearance on Fox TV’s “Meet the Russians.”
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