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Thursday, 23 July 2020

Film Director Guy Ritchie Disqualified from Driving


BAFTA nominated film director Guy Ritchie has been disqualified from driving after being filmed using his mobile phone at the wheel.

Ritchie, 51, who gave the court an address in central London, had earlier admitted one charge of using a hand-held mobile phone whilst driving, contrary to section 41D of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The maximum penalty for this offence on summary conviction is a fine at level 3 (£1,000). Additionally, since 1st March 2017, the court has been obliged to endorse the offender's driving licence with 6 penalty points.

The case was sentenced in Ritchie's absence at Bromley Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, 21st July 2020.

The court heard that Ritchie committed the offence when he was driving his black Range Rover through Hyde Park on the afternoon of Sunday, 3rd November 2019.

A cyclist, Mike van Erp, observed Ritchie typing a message into his mobile phone, as the car was stationary in a queue of traffic. Mr van Erp, who was wearing a GoPro camera on his helmet, approached the vehicle and captured clear footage of Ritchie typing away on his phone.

The film writer and director wound down his window and said "Hello my friend" to Mr van Erp, who replied: "I don't think you should be using your text messages while you are driving. I saw you doing it back there as well."

Ritchie then wound up his window and drove slowly away as the queue of traffic started to move.

Mr van Erp uploaded footage of the offence to the Metropolitan Police's website.


In the accompanying statement, he said: "I spotted this driver texting on his phone. I stopped and whilst waiting for traffic to clear could clearly see the driver typing on his phone. I then crossed to the driver's side where I saw his iPhone lit up with the classic blue and grey message bubbles of Apple iMessage, with text, and a message in process of being typed but not sent."

Ritchie, who already had 9 penalty points on his licence, was fined £666 and ordered to pay £166 in victim surcharge and prosecution costs.

His licence was endorsed with a further 6 penalty points, which has resulted in his disqualification for 6 months under the totting up rule.

Mr van Erp, 48, said he started filming and reporting drivers after his father was killed in a crash.

His footage has led to scores of drivers facing prosecution.

He said: "I had no idea it was him. I pulled up beside him on my bicycle and told him he was using his mobile.

"He said he had stopped in traffic. Drivers should not be doing this and people like me serve as a deterrent."

Update (23/7/20): We have amended this article slightly to correct an error in our original version.

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