I’m a celebrity, fine me £86,000

Mr McPartlin was handed a fine of £86,000 and a 20-month driving ban, after he pleaded guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court.

He had been involved in a three-car collision in Richmond, London, on 18 March.

Speaking outside the court, he said: “I let myself down, I let a lot of people down. For that I’m truly sorry.”

Road traffic lawyer Michael Lyon, of Michael Lyon Solicitors, told Scottish Legal News that a similar offence in Scotland would have attracted far smaller fine.

He said: “Were Mr McPartlin to face a similar charge in Scotland the court would have been limited to imposing a fine of a mere £5,000, some £81,000 less than that which was imposed by Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court.

“Whilst fines in Scotland are imposed commensurate to an accused’s disposable income, this is subject to various limits known as the standard scale.

“The upper limit in Scotland, assuming Mr McPartlin would have been prosecuted at summary level, is £5,000.

“No such limit applies in England, thereby making Mr McPartlin significantly lighter of pocket than he would have been had the incident occurred in Scotland.”