Ex-Westlife star's court date adjourned again

Former Westlife singer Brian McFadden will face charges over alleged driving offences in a Dublin court next month after his case was adjourned for the fourth time today.

Fans gathered outside Balbriggan District Court for a glimpse of the singer but he did not show for the hearing in relation to an incident in 2002.

A barrister for McFadden, Kieran Kelly, made an application with the consent of gardai before Judge Cormac Dunne to adjourn the case for hearing to October 13.

McFadden is accused of careless driving, breaking the 70mph speed limit and driving without reasonable consideration when he was stopped on the M1 motorway in Balbriggan, north of Dublin, on September 23, 2002.

The now solo-singer, who recently split from his wife Kerry Katona, has been on crutches for several weeks after injuring his leg on August 13 playing football with his team FC Killester.

McFadden has been planning to move to the US to join his girlfriend and duet partner Delta Goodrem on her tour.

The court case was first adjourned in March 2004 because a female witness to the alleged offences was due to give birth to twin babies and McFadden was about to go on tour.

At the time he was still a member of Westlife, but he left the band soon after to pursue a solo career.

Then last October, the scheduled hearing of the case was put back because the prosecuting officer was on sick leave with a hand injury.

McFadden labelled the court system “a joke” after the alleged driving offences against him were adjourned for the second time. The judge then adjourned the case to April 14, 2005 after he heard that McFadden would soon be on a world tour promoting his new solo album.

However, in April, the case was put back to September 8, at the request of McFadden’s defence team.

If the state is unable to proceed with the case this year, the judge will have the option to strike out all charges.