LONDON: Zac Goldsmith, the brother of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith has been barred from driving for a year after he violated the speed limit several times last year.
The former environment minister broke speed limits seven times on London roads in his hybrid Volkswagen Golf in Paddington, Chelsea and Twickenham between April and November last year, Guardian reported on Monday.
The judge also warned Jemima’s brother that speeding drivers “emit more harmful emissions” after he was caught violating speed limit on two motorways, most recently in December.
Jemima’s brother was caught on 27 April 2023 travelling along Chelsea Embankment at 29mph, despite the limit being 20mph, according to Independent.
On May 31, he drove at 46mph on the A316 in Twickenham, which has a 40mph limit. Lord Goldsmith was also caught speeding on that same road on August 3 while driving at 47mph.
A month before the August incident, on 18 July, he exceeded the 20mph limit on Bayswater Road, next to Kensington Gardens, while travelling at 28mph.
The peer expressed remorse for his offending saying he is “not someone who is manifestly defying the usual speed limits”.
The Lord was fined £5,500, and ordered to pay a surcharge of £2,000 and costs of £700 as he pleaded guilty to all of the offences.
Zac Goldsmith is the latest big name to be prosecuted under the single justice procedure. The system was introduced in 2015 to allow courts to sit in private and deal with cases based on paperwork alone.
