Former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has been fined £999 after being caught speeding twice in three weeks while driving luxury cars. The 56-year-old was first captured on 2 December last year and later on 22 December in Herefordshire.
He was recorded driving his Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo at 68mph in a 50mph limit on the A40 in Pencraig, Herefordshire, on 2 December. He was later clocked driving his Bentley Continental GT at 82mph in a 70mph limit on the A50 Rudhall Overbridge, also in Herefordshire, on 22 December.
Documents from the case show Hammond was first caught speeding by a police officer with a handheld speed camera at just before 13:00 BST on 2 December and again at about 11:45 BST on 22 December.
Hammond pleaded guilty to two speeding charges through his solicitor. Two further charges that he had ignored the police letters and failed to identify himself as the guilty driver were withdrawn by police.
He was also given seven penalty points for his licence at the hearing last week. Magistrate Ann Minton ordered him to pay a total of £1,771, comprising two fines of £333 and £666, £240 in costs and victim surcharges totalling £532.
West Mercia Police sent speeding tickets to a Grade II listed Herefordshire castle bought by Hammond in 2012 and a £1m farm estate near Hereford, but the letters were returned marked as "addressee gone away". He was eventually tracked down to his £2m home near Abergavenny in Wales where more than 30 vehicles were currently registered, the court heard.
Police also set out in the court papers that Hammond had been accused of another driving offence in August last year.
Hammond, who hosted the BBC's Top Gear show with Jeremy Clarkson and James May between 2002 and 2015, received a three-month driving ban in France in 2013 after he and Clarkson were caught speeding while making an episode of the show.
To the charges of ignoring the police letters and failing to identify himself as the guilty driver, he said in a letter to the court read out by his solicitor:
He replied identifying himself as the driver. He sent the reply by First Class post. He posted the reply himself.
The force ultimately opted to withdraw the extra charges, as Hammond was prosecuted and convicted for the speeding.
Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond were also pictured filming the final The Grand Tour series on Amazon.
He was then caught driving at 82mph on 22 December.
How were the speeding offences discovered?
They were discovered after Hammond was first caught speeding by a police officer with a handheld speed camera at just before 13:00 BST on 2 December, and then again at about 11:45 BST on 22 December.
What penalties did he receive?
He was fined a total of £1,771 and given seven penalty points on his licence. Magistrate Ann Minton ordered the sum to be paid as two fines of £333 and £666, plus £240 in costs and victim surcharges totalling £532.
What happened after the police sent notices?
West Mercia Police sent speeding tickets to a Grade II listed Herefordshire castle bought by Hammond in 2012 and a £1m farm estate near Hereford, but the letters were returned marked as "addressee gone away". He was later traced to his £2m home near Abergavenny in Wales, where more than 30 vehicles were registered, the court heard.
What did Hammond say about the extra charges?
He said in a letter to the court, read out by his solicitor, that he had identified himself as the driver and had posted the reply by First Class post.
He replied identifying himself as the driver. He sent the reply by First Class post. He posted the reply himself.
The force withdrew the extra charges because Hammond was prosecuted and convicted for the speeding.
What is his wider driving history?
Police court papers said Hammond had also been accused of another driving offence in August last year. He previously received a three-month driving ban in France in 2013 after he and Jeremy Clarkson were caught speeding while making an episode of Top Gear.
What is his television background?
Hammond hosted the BBC's Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May between 2002 and 2015. The three later filmed the final The Grand Tour series on Amazon.
Key Facts
- Richard Hammond was fined £999 after pleading guilty to two speeding charges.
- He was caught at 68mph in a 50mph limit on the A40 in Pencraig on 2 December and at 82mph in a 70mph limit on the A50 Rudhall Overbridge on 22 December.
- He was given seven penalty points and ordered to pay a total of £1,771.
- Police withdrew two further charges relating to alleged failure to identify the driver.
- Hammond hosted Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May from 2002 to 2015.
