Zac Goldsmith banned from driving for a year over speed violations

• Goldsmith caught speeding on two motorways lately in December.
• He is latest big name to be prosecuted under single justice procedure.
• Ex-minster fined £5,500, ordered to pay surcharge of £2,000.

Former environment minister Zac Goldsmith has been banned from driving for a year after he violated the speed limit several times in 2023.

The brother of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan's ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith broke speed limits seven times in his hybrid Volkswagen Golf on London roads in Paddington, Chelsea and Twickenham between April and November 2023, Guardian reported on Monday.

Goldsmith was also warned by a judge that speeding drivers “emit more harmful emissions” after he was caught speeding on two motorways, most recently in December, Westminster magistrates’ court heard today.

On 27 April 2023, he was caught travelling along Chelsea Embankment at 29mph, despite the limit being 20mph, the Independent reported citing court papers.

Just over a month later, on May 31, the former minister drove at 46mph on the A316 in Twickenham, which has a 40mph limit. He was caught speeding on that same road on 3 August, while driving at 47mph.

A month before the August incident, on 18 July, Lord Goldsmith exceeded the 20mph limit on Bayswater Road, next to Kensington Gardens, while travelling at 28mph.

Benjamin Waidhofer, defending, said Lord Goldsmith had shown remorse for his offending and is “not someone who is manifestly defying the usual speed limits”.

Having pleaded guilty to all of the offences, the peer was fined £5,500, and ordered to pay a surcharge of £2,000 and costs of £700.

He is the latest big name to be prosecuted under the single justice procedure, which was introduced in 2015 to allow courts to sit in private and deal with cases based on paperwork alone.