Richard Hammond, well-known TV presenter and former host of Top Gear and The Grand Tour, has been penalised for speeding offences committed in two different luxury vehicles. The 56-year-old was caught exceeding speed limits twice within a few weeks, once driving a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo and subsequently in a Bentley Continental GT.
West Mercia Police prosecuted Hammond using speed camera evidence from Herefordshire, where both incidents occurred. Court records reveal that authorities initially struggled to contact the presenter due to his extensive portfolio of properties. Notices sent to his Herefordshire castle and a farm estate near Hereford were returned marked as “addressee gone away.” Eventually, the police traced Hammond to his mansion near Abergavenny, Wales, where over 30 vehicles are registered to his name.
The first offence took place just before 1 pm on 2 December last year, with Hammond driving at 68mph in a 50mph zone on the A40 in Pencraig, Herefordshire. The second occurred on 22 December at approximately 11.45 am, when he was caught at 82mph in a 70mph zone on the A50 Rudhall Overbridge, also in Herefordshire.
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In addition to speeding charges, Hammond faced accusations of failing to identify himself as the driver and ignoring police correspondence from August 2022. His solicitor denied these allegations, stating that Hammond had responded promptly by post.
Ultimately, the police withdrew the additional charges, and Hammond pleaded guilty to the two speeding offences. At Telford Magistrates’ Court, magistrate Ann Minton imposed seven penalty points on his driving licence and fines totalling £999, alongside £240 in costs and victim surcharges amounting to £532.
Hammond’s history with motoring issues is notable; he survived a crash in a jet-powered car reaching 320mph during Top Gear filming in 2006 and was banned from driving in France for three months alongside Jeremy Clarkson in 2013 after a speeding offence.
His case was heard under the Single Justice Procedure, a streamlined court process for dealing with minor criminal cases without a public hearing. The presenter was among 39 defendants dealt with by Ms Minton during the session on 22 July.