In court Helen said her isolated moorland home meant it was a 10-minute drive even to go to the shops to buy bread and milk, and that she would 'really struggle without a car' in the remote location.
The actress, who lives near Bolton, Greater Manchester, said she earned £70,000 last year – but said her income varies and that she could not afford a £10 taxi to take her son to nursery.
Prosecutor Stephen Kirk told how Helen, who already had six penalty points for speeding, failed to declare who had been driving the car when it was caught speeding at locations on Merseyside in June last year, doing 42mph in a 30mph limit and 51mph in a 40mph limit.
Magistrates gave her six more points for each offence - taking her total to 18 points, well above the 12-point threshold when magistrates normally impose a ban unless there is 'exceptional hardship'.
Making her doomed plea to keep her licence, Helen said at the time: 'I am so sorry. I stupidly thought it was acceptable for my boyfriend to explain he was the one driving and it wasn't me.'
Helen told the court how she is a 'full-time' mother to children Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, and Charlie, three, using the car to take them to nursery, school and activities.
She said: 'My job really is being a mum at home. Their dad works away. It's really difficult at the moment now for me to be earning money. I earn money on social media but it kind of varies what I earn.'
She added: 'I think there might be a perception maybe that I would easily be able to afford a driver but that's quite far from the case.
![She was is in a relationship with ex-footballer Robbie Talbot (pictured together) who she said was behind the wheel]()
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She was is in a relationship with ex-footballer Robbie Talbot (pictured together) who she said was behind the wheel
