Bestselling author Lynda La Plante has been disqualified from driving for six months after admitting to multiple speeding offences near her home in Kingston, south-west London. The 83-year-old crime writer pleaded guilty to exceeding the 20mph speed limit five times between November 2025 and April 2026 at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court.

La Plante acknowledged driving at speeds ranging from 24mph to 27mph during these incidents. She told the court that she relies on her car to conduct research for her writing, including meeting criminals and other sources who provide information for her novels. She explained that these meetings often require visiting locations chosen carefully by the contacts. In addition, La Plante said she needs to drive her guard dog, Theo, to nearby Roehampton playing fields for daily walks. She expressed concern that if she were unable to drive, she might have to rehome the dog, which she said would cause “emotional turmoil” detrimental to her career, which she described as “very solitary” and demanding.

Despite her arguments, the magistrates concluded that La Plante had not demonstrated “exceptional hardship” that would justify avoiding the driving ban. Along with the six-month disqualification, she was fined a total of £3,330. Her lawyer had urged the court to show leniency given her reliance on a vehicle for professional and personal reasons.

In a related case, David Stephen Geoffrey Pollock, 3rd Viscount Hanworth and a former Labour hereditary peer, is scheduled to appear for a special reasons hearing in October after pleading guilty to speeding. The 80-year-old was recorded driving at 27mph in a 20mph zone in Islington earlier this year. The court will consider whether there are exceptional circumstances that might exempt him from a driving ban.

Both cases highlight ongoing enforcement of speed limits designed to enhance road safety, particularly in urban areas with lower limits. Authorities maintain that adherence to these restrictions is essential, regardless of an individual's status or profession.