Bestselling crime writer Lynda La Plante, creator of the iconic DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect, is fighting three speeding tickets that could lead to a driving ban. The 83-year-old author was allegedly caught driving at 24mph, 26mph, and 27mph in a 20mph zone near her home in Kingston-upon-Thames, south-west London, between November 2023 and April 2024.
Alleged Speeding Incidents
According to court papers, the first incident occurred at 9.24am on November 2, 2023, when La Plante's Toyota was clocked at 24mph on the A308 Kingston Hill. The second happened at 9.35am on March 5, 2024, a short distance along the same road, at 26mph. The third was at 10.03am on April 11, 2024, at 27mph past the same speed camera involved in the second offence.
La Plante's Defence
In handwritten notes to court officials and police, La Plante denounced the road signs as “very confusing” and argued that the speed camera is placed too close to the sign indicating the 20mph zone, leaving drivers with little time to slow down. She wrote: “The speed camera is a very short distance – no more than 10 seconds and with traffic and cyclists overtaking but almost hitting the bumper of my vehicle.” She also noted that there is “no 20mph painted on road.”
For the third offence, she pleaded guilty but wrote: “I wish to dispute this offence on the basis that the signage warning motorists of a 20mph speed limit is only 10-15 paces from a 30mph zone, on a downward hill. It is impossible to reduce the speed appropriately in that time/distance.”
Criticism of Legal Process
La Plante also criticised the court system, saying she spent “25 minutes on phone waiting to speak” to an adviser, only to find they “did not speak English.” She highlighted a broken weblink on the Single Justice Procedure form that was supposed to help find legal advice, writing: “No longer available.”
Potential Consequences
A Met Police worker noted that if convicted, La Plante would have at least 12 penalty points on her licence, triggering an automatic six-month disqualification. The Met Police has brought all three prosecutions through the fast-track Single Justice Procedure, while responsibility for the speed limit signs and road markings lies with local councils.
La Plante is due to appear at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court on August 3. The author, who also created hit series Widows and Trial and Retribution, was awarded a CBE in 2008 for services to literature, drama and charity.
