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Retired rugby worldwide Ben Cohen has instructed a courtroom that he’s combating to save lots of his household dwelling and his relationship with skilled dancer Kristina Rihanoff after she was caught driving with out insurance coverage.
Rihanoff, a former Strictly Come Dancing star, was caught behind the wheel of her £30,000 72-plate Audi Q3 in Horsemarket on April 4.
Showing at Northampton Crown Courtroom on Friday below the title Kristina Pchenitchnykh, the Russian ballroom specialist sobbed all through proceedings and at one level requested to depart the room as a result of she ‘felt sick,’ reviews the Northamptonshire Telegraph.
Mom-of-one Rihanoff, 46, had six factors added to her license, however confronted a possible driving ban after amassing 12 penalty factors.
Throughout Friday’s attraction, long-term companion Cohen – showing as her witness – admitted to overlooking a textual content message from his insurance coverage firm previous to the incident.
Retired rugby worldwide Ben Cohen instructed a courtroom that he’s combating to save lots of his household dwelling and his relationship with skilled dancer Kristina Rihanoff after she was caught driving with out insurance coverage
The couple are dad and mom to daughter Milena, 8, who they welcomed in June 2016 (pictured collectively)
The ex-rugby participant – grandson of late World Cup successful footballer George Cohen – admitted he was accountable for insuring each their autos, and had been in search of a less expensive deal from February after being given a £7,500 quote by Aviva.
He subsequently opted for a brand new coverage with Dial Direct, to whom he was to make month-to-month debit funds, on February 22.
Addressing the ignored textual content, Cohen admitted he was abroad when Dial Direct contacted him to warn his insurance coverage can be cancelled except he despatched them his no declare particulars.
The retired Northampton and England Wing revealed he did not examine the corporate pointers, accessible on their web site, and failed to reply as a result of he did not have a no claims bonus, ensuing of their coverage being cancelled on March 7.
Unaware of the cancellation, Rihanoff was caught driving with out insurance coverage weeks later.
‘I 100% didn’t know that coverage can be cancelled as a result of the no claims data they’d been asking for wasn’t related to me,’ Cohen instructed the courtroom.
Requested if he had acquired a further e mail to tell him of the coverage’s cancellation, he added: ‘I wasn’t conscious.’
When requested by Rihanoff’s barrister, Michael Mulkerrins, if perceived difficulties of their relationship had affected their funds, Cohen, 45, admitted their co-owned Soo Yoga studio in Northampton had been broken by the coronavirus pandemic.
Rihanoff, a former Strictly Come Dancing star, was caught behind the wheel of her 72-plate Audi Q3 in Horsemarket, Northampton, on April 4
Former rugby star Cohen fell in love with the Russian dancer after they had been partnered up on the eleventh collection of Strictly in 2013, regardless of him being married on the time (pictured on the present)
He instructed the courtroom: ‘We’re nonetheless dwelling collectively. We’re in it financially. We’re in enterprise collectively so the issue is that we opened the enterprise earlier than COVID and we bought the worst severities of it and in all truthfully that is simply one other downside for me to cope with.
‘I stand up daily and I struggle to not lose the whole lot – to lose my automobiles and my home and my relationship. I’m so overdrawn.
‘I’ve bought bank cards which can be overdrawn. I’m overdrawn in each accounts. We’ve got bought a enterprise debt due to COVID. It’s simply one other downside.’
Cohen admitted he had even been driving his personal car, unaware that it was uninsured, earlier than Rihanoff known as to inform him she had been pulled over in Northampton city centre.
‘I didn’t know till I bought that decision from Kristina, then I used to be (saying) “what are you on about?”‘ he stated.
Rihanoff was ordered to pay £357 in attraction prices and acquired six factors on her licence.
She subsequently give up the present in 2015 when she fell pregnant with with their daughter Mila, now eight (pictured collectively in 2022)
Cohen fell in love with the Russian dancer after they had been partnered on the eleventh collection of Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, regardless of him being married on the time.
She subsequently left the present in 2015 after falling pregnant with their daughter Mila, now eight.
Earlier final 12 months, Cohen stated his relationship with fiancée Kristina has been ‘strengthened’ by ‘troublesome occasions in enterprise’ forward of their marriage ceremony.
He instructed HELLO! journal: ‘During the last 9 years we have been by the wringer To assist one another by troublesome occasions in enterprise is the last word check in a relationship.
‘I’ve watched her flourish, from her turning into a mum to rising as a businesswoman, and it has strengthened our bond.’
They instructed the journal that they plan to make the massive day a household affair with Mila and Ben’s twin daughters Harriette and Isabelle, 15, who he shares together with his first spouse Abby Blayney Cohen – serving as bridesmaids.
Rihanoff stated: ‘Mila cannot wait, She’s already instructed me what she’s going to put on. ‘I would like this sort of costume, Mummy, with an extended prepare like you’ll have,’ she tells me. She actually is aware of her personal thoughts.’
