Russian vodka heiress and former mannequin is caught driving in London on telephone

Vodka heiress Marinika Smirnova has been fined virtually £1,000 after highway security activist Cycling Mikey caught her on her telephone whereas driving by way of Hyde Park in London.

The 40-year-old inheritor to the Smirnoff vodka empire and winner of the Miss Russia pageant, was caught utilizing her telephone whereas driving her Porsche in London close to her luxurious six-bedroom dwelling.

Smirnova was seen hiding her telephone when she realised she was being recorded whereas driving. She was convicted at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court of utilizing her telephone whereas driving however failed to seem for the listening to.

She was fined £220, with extra prices of £620 and an £88 sufferer surcharge.

She additionally acquired six penalty factors on her driver’s licence because of the incident, which occurred in Hyde Park on December 10 the earlier yr.

The video was taken by ‘CyclingMikey,’ a YouTuber identified for recording celebrities breaking visitors guidelines, who is known as Michael van Erp, 50. He noticed Smirnova driving her pink Porsche 911 Targa 4S whereas he was strolling his bike within the park.

The YouTuber mentioned: “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.

“I didn’t recognise the driving force, however I’ve since searched her and she or he is a little bit of a celeb. I search for highway behaviours, not explicit folks or explicit automobiles, though I do admire her good private plate.”

Initially, police offered Smirnova a fine, but she didn’t respond, which meant the case proceeded to court.

Smirnova then requested a delay in the hearing as she was out of the country, but the request was denied by magistrates.

Bench chairman John Soones said the phone was “in her fingers and we really feel it was getting used.”

Marinika Smirnova comes from a well-known household, as her mom was a famend gymnast and her great-uncle founding the Smirnoff vodka model in Moscow in 1818, supplying vodka to Emperor Nicholas II.