Musician Richard Ashcroft has been banned from driving for six months and made to pay nearly £3,000 after he was caught speeding.
On February 19 last year, Ashcroft – who fronted The Verve before becoming a solo artist – was driving a green 2018 Mercedes-Benz G-Class when he was recorded exceeding a 40mph speed limit on the elevated section of the M4 by 8mph at Brentford, west London, Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday.
The 54-year-old had nine relevant points on his licence already – due to three previous speeding offences between December 16 2022 and October 21 2024, the court heard.
Ashcroft, whose address was listed in Richmond-upon-Thames, did not attend the hearing, but pleaded guilty to one count of speeding.
Conall Bailie, defending, passed on Ashcroft’s apologies for his non-attendance, saying that he had an existing commitment that he was unable to break.
District Judge Daniel Benjamin, sentencing, said that Ashcroft put other road users at “risk of harm” due to his speeding.
The judge said that Ashcroft had reached the latest offence “without any intention of abiding by the speed limit”.
Ashcroft was handed a further three points and given a six-month ban, and made to pay a total of £2,755 including the fine, statutory surcharge and prosecution costs.
Mr Bailie said that Ashcroft had the means to pay the full total.
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