Shane Richie arrested for drink driving
Shane Richie was arrested for drink driving after police were called to an argument at a petrol station.
Shane Richie was arrested for drink driving following an argument at a petrol station.
The EastEnders star was confronted by staff at a Tesco garage in Harlow, Essex, on Wednesday (29.07.26) night after they challenged him about vaping on the forecourt, and his foul-mouthed response led to the manager calling police, who arrested the 62-year-old actor.
In video footage obtained by The Sun, Shane was warned vaping near the pumps was dangerous, to which he responded: “I don’t give a “f***."
A source said: “It’s extraordinary he behaved like that — especially if he’d been drinking.
“It was stupid and he was also being quite argumentative with staff. They didn’t know who he was at first. It was only after the police came that they realised.”
The forecourt was empty when Shane - who was travelling alone - drove into the garage in his white Hyundai, and staff came out to tell him not to smoke there.
Holding up a silver e-cigarette, he replied: “It’s not smoking, it’s a vape.”
He allegedly waved staff away and one male worker told him they were recording their interaction.
He explained: “I have to get it on video for the police. That is a vape and that’s a risk in this petrol station.”
Shane replied: “What, you’re filming me? All right, I’m going to film you.
“This is not a vape.”
After being told that it was and it represented a risk, he replied: “Yeah, I don’t give a f***.”
In the video footage, Shane then approached two female workers outside the kiosk and asked them: “Can you do me a favour — tell him to go away.”
One of them told him she was the manager and called police on her mobile.
She could be heard saying on the phone: “He started getting aggressive and he started vaping, so smoking an electric cigarette.”
The actor shouted: “Not smoking a cigarette.”
After police arrived, one officer said: “These guys have said you might have been drinking and that you’ve driven this vehicle in here.”
The footage then cut away.
Essex Police have confirmed the actor, whose real name is Shane Roche, has been arrested and will appear in court next month.
They said in a statement: “Officers were called to reports of a suspected drink-driver in Church Langley Way, Harlow, shortly before 11.20pm on Wednesday July 29.
“On arrival, officers arrested a man. A charge of drink-driving has subsequently been authorised against Shane Roche, 62, of Surrey.
"He is due to appear at Colchester magistrates’ court on Wednesday September 9.”
It is not illegal to vape on a garage forecourt but companies forbid it in case the devices produce sparks that could lead to a petrol fire.
