Richard Hammond, the former presenter of the BBC’s Top Gear, has been fined and penalised for two speeding offences committed within a three-week period last December in Herefordshire. The 56-year-old was caught driving his Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo at 68 mph in a 50 mph zone on the A40 near Pencraig on December 2. Less than three weeks later, on December 22, he was recorded driving his Bentley Continental GT at 82 mph in a 70 mph zone on the M50 at Rudhall Overbridge.

West Mercia Police prosecuted Hammond after using speed camera evidence to support the charges. Following a hearing at Telford Magistrates’ Court on July 22, he pleaded guilty to both offences through his legal representatives. Magistrates imposed seven penalty points on his driving licence and ordered him to pay a total of £1,771. The sum includes two fines of £333 and £666, court costs of £240, and victim surcharge fees amounting to £532.

Authorities initially struggled to establish contact with Hammond after the offences, sending correspondence to several of his properties. Letters addressed to his former home in Herefordshire and a farm estate near Hereford were returned marked “addressee gone away.” Police later located him at his residence near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, where more than 30 vehicles are registered.

Court documents revealed that Hammond faced additional accusations from August of the previous year. These included allegations that he failed to identify himself as the driver in prior speeding incidents and ignored police communication. However, his solicitor denied these claims, stating that Hammond had responded by letter identifying himself and that the replies were sent by first-class post. Consequently, those charges were withdrawn.

Hammond is well-known for his association with motoring shows, hosting Top Gear from 2002 to 2015 alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May, and later The Grand Tour until 2024. His history with high-speed incidents includes a serious crash in 2006 while driving a jet-powered car at nearly 290 mph, after which he spent two weeks in a coma. Additionally, in 2013, he and Clarkson received three-month driving bans in France following speeding offences during filming.

Outside of his driving-related headlines, Hammond recently disclosed significant personal changes, including his separation from his wife of 23 years, Mindy Etheridge, in September 2024. He has since been reported to be in a new relationship and has embraced a quieter lifestyle focused on activities such as cooking, running, and walking in the countryside.