Richard Hammond, the well-known television presenter formerly of Top Gear and The Grand Tour, has been penalised with seven points on his driving licence following two speeding offences committed within a span of just 20 days. The 56-year-old was first caught exceeding the speed limit on 2 December last year while driving a Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo, and then again on 22 December in a Bentley Continental GT.
West Mercia Police prosecuted Hammond based on speed camera evidence captured in Herefordshire. Court documents also revealed that police spent several weeks attempting to locate Hammond by sending letters to several of his homes, including a Grade II* listed castle and a farm estate near Hereford, before successfully finding him at his £2 million residence near Abergavenny in Wales.
At Telford Magistrates’ Court, Hammond pleaded guilty via his legal representatives to the two speeding charges. Magistrate Ann Minton issued him seven penalty points and ordered payment of a total of £1,771. This sum includes fines of £333 and £666, £240 in costs, and victim surcharge fees amounting to £532.
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The first incident occurred just before 1pm on 2 December, when Hammond’s Porsche was clocked doing 68mph in a 50mph zone on the A40 at Pencraig, Herefordshire. The second occurred around 11:45am on 22 December, with his Bentley recorded at 82mph within a 70mph limit on the A50 Rudhall Overbridge, also in Herefordshire.
In addition to the speeding offences, documented court papers indicate Hammond was initially accused of two further charges relating to failure to respond to police correspondence regarding the speeding incidents. However, his solicitor provided evidence that Hammond had identified himself as the driver and replied by first-class post, leading police to withdraw these additional charges.
Hammond, affectionately known as “The Hamster” among his TV colleagues, has a history of motoring incidents. Notably, he survived a serious crash in 2006 while driving a jet-powered car on Top Gear, and alongside Jeremy Clarkson, faced a driving ban in France in 2013 after both were caught speeding during filming.
During the magistrates’ court session on 22 July, Hammond was among 39 defendants convicted of driving offences by Magistrate Ann Minton through a Single Justice Procedure, a fast-track legal process for lower-level criminal matters.
“He replied identifying himself as the driver. He sent the reply by First Class post. He posted the reply himself,” Hammond’s solicitor wrote in a letter to the court defending the presenter against failure to identify charges.
This recent case highlights ongoing challenges even experienced drivers face in navigating speed regulations safely and legally.