COMEDIAN DAWN FRENCH DISQUALIFIED FROM DRIVING FOR SIX MONTHS

Dawn French has been disqualified from driving for six months after pleading guilty to speeding. Plymouth Magistrates' Court heard that the comedian exceeded the 30mph limit on a restricted road in England. An automatic camera recorded the offence on 11 July. The court imposed a fine of £600, a victim surcharge of £240 and court costs of £90.

French had nine penalty points on her licence before this conviction. One report indicated she was driving at 36mph in a 30mph zone in Plymouth, Devon, in a Mini Clubman Cooper S Sport valued at £31,000. According to the same source, this was her fourth speeding offence in three years. Under driving law, accumulating 12 or more penalty points within a three-year period triggers an automatic six-month driving ban.

Drivers disqualified for 56 days or more must apply to the DVLA for a new licence before resuming driving. Emma Watson, best known for her role in the Harry Potter film series, received a similar six-month ban last summer after driving at 38mph in a 30mph zone in Oxford on 31 July 2024. Watson also had nine points on her licence at the time and paid a total of £1,044 in fines and costs.