Richard Hammond, the former Top Gear host, has been fined £999 for speeding in his Porsche and Bentley. The 56-year-old celebrity pleaded guilty to two charges of speeding, adding seven penalty points to his license. A court in Telford ordered him to pay a total of £1,771, including fines, costs, and surcharges.
Speeding Incidents and Penalties
The first incident occurred on December 2 last year. Hammond was driving his Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo at 68mph in a 50mph zone on the A40 in Pencraig, Herefordshire. Just 20 days later, on December 22, he was caught driving his Bentley Continental GT at 82mph in a 70mph limit on the A50 Rudhall overbridge. Both offences were recorded by West Mercia police using speed cameras.
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| Incident | Date | Vehicle | Speed | Speed Limit | Fine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | 2 Dec 2024 | Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo | 68 mph | 50 mph | £333 |
| Second | 22 Dec 2024 | Bentley Continental GT | 82 mph | 70 mph | £666 |
Legal Troubles and Court Proceedings
Hammond, nicknamed “The Hamster” by his Top Gear co-stars, initially avoided police contact. Speeding tickets sent to his Herefordshire castle and a farm estate were returned as “addressee gone away.” Officers eventually tracked him down to his £2m mansion near Abergavenny, where more than 30 vehicles are registered. In court, Magistrate Ann Minton imposed two fines of £333 and £666, plus £240 in costs and £532 in victim surcharges.
This is not Hammond’s first brush with speed-related legal issues. In 2013, he and Jeremy Clarkson received a three-month driving ban in France after being caught speeding while filming a Top Gear episode. Hammond also survived a harrowing 320mph jet car crash in 2006 that nearly killed him. Despite these experiences, his latest offences show a continued pattern of high‑speed driving in luxury automobiles.
Key Takeaways
- Richard Hammond was fined £999 for two speeding incidents within three weeks.
- He drove a Porsche at 68mph in a 50mph zone and a Bentley at 82mph in a 70mph zone.
- Seven penalty points were added to his license, bringing his total court costs to £1,771.
- Police had difficulty locating him due to returned mail, eventually finding him at his Welsh mansion.
- Hammond has a history of speeding offences, including a 2013 ban in France.