Emma Watson has been banned from driving after accumulating too many points on her license - but what are the actual laws?
The 35-year-old actress, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in creative writing at Oxford University, was caught driving at 38mph in a 30mph zone in Oxford on the evening of July 31 last year, per Fox News.
The incident involved her blue Audi, and while the speeding may not sound extreme, the consequences have made headlines.
According to court documents, Watson already had nine points on her driving license before this latest offense. The additional penalty pushed her over the 12-point limit within a three-year period, which is enough to trigger an automatic driving ban under UK law.
Watson didn’t appear in person at the hearing held at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. Her lawyer, Mark Haslam, attended on her behalf, telling the court, “She is in a position to pay the fine.” Watson was fined a total of £1,044 - about $1,400.
Despite the standard legal process, fans have been left stunned by the ruling, considering she was only 8mph over the limit.
One fan on social media wrote: “If driving over 8mph the speed limit gets a ban from driving I'd be in prison for life in the UK. Joke country.”
In the UK, the government website explains that drivers can be disqualified if they accumulate 12 or more penalty points within three years or are convicted of serious motoring offenses.
Points can stay on your license for up to 11 years depending on the offense. Once Watson’s six-month ban is over, she will need to reapply for her driving license.
Watson, who rose to global fame in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 2001, has since built a film career with credits including The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Bling Ring, Beauty and the Beast, and Little Women.
Outside of acting, she recently launched a sustainable gin brand with her brother in 2023.
Coincidentally, Watson wasn’t the only Harry Potter alum in court that day. Zoe Wanamaker, who portrayed flying instructor Madam Hooch in the series, was also fined and banned for a separate speeding violation.
Wanamaker, 76, was caught driving at 46mph in a 40mph zone on the M4 in Newbury, Berkshire on August 7, 2024, per BBC News.
Like Watson, she already had nine points on her license prior to the offense. She received the same £1,044 fine and a six-month disqualification.
Her lawyer, Duncan Jones, said she was not seeking “special treatment” and accepted the court’s decision.