An ex-Hollyoaks star who faced a driving ban has been allowed back on the road after she said she needed to drive her daughter about. Faye Ayres faced disqualification under the totting up procedure after she was caught driving her Audi A6 without insurance.
She claimed her insurance was withdrawn without her knowledge after she failed to spot an email asking for a copy of her driving licence.
The former Miss Liverpool, 28, was spared a ban after successfully arguing 'exceptional hardship'. She claimed she could not take her four-year-old girl on public transport due to her having an audism condition.
At Sefton Magistrates' Court, mum-of-two Ayres - who once challenged for the Miss England crown - broke down in tears as she told how the youngster struggled to wear clothes in public unless it was her school uniform. She said the child was also likely to 'disappear' when out as she was so hyper-active.
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Ayres, of Baroncroft Road, Liverpool, said: "I can't really describe the situation, because it's really bad. She has a diagnosis of autism, learning difficulties and ADHD.
"But I think there is something else because she cannot wear clothes. She has something extra. I do not know what it is - I do not know if it is more than autism. I did not think that anybody else could deal with what I deal with on a daily basis."
"I cannot take my eyes off her. I like to take her to extra-curricular events and my car means we have freedom to go out. We cannot go to the local play area because she disappears, but she likes going in the car. She likes to look around and I feel she is safe when I am in the car with her."
Ayers said she takes her daughter to a school for children with special education needs three days a week, with the school providing transport the other days.
"She would not be able to go on a bus as she does not wear any clothes," she added: "I have never known an illness like it.''
Earlier, Miss Ayers said she has dyslexia and that her insurance was withdrawn without her knowledge after she failed to spot an email asking for a copy of her driving licence. She was stopped on September 21 last year while driving her black S Line model through Sefton village.
Ayers admitted driving without insurance and was fined £120, with £144 in costs and victim surcharges. She was given six points on her license, taking the tally to 12. She was allowed her to keep her licence.
"The bar is very high with exceptional hardship," chairman of the bench Brian Wilson said.
"We expect people to be inconvenienced because they have lost their licence. However, we have decided on this occasion that you have reached that high standard. We are not going to disqualify you from driving today.
"We think that the impact caused to your daughter's safety and wellbeing would be too great a price to pay. You have to go to hospital appointments. We note that she could not cope with the public transport and so know that would be very difficult for you."
