HARRY Potter star Emma Watson has been banned from driving for six months after being caught speeding in her £30k Audi.
The Hermione Granger actress, 35, did not attend a short hearing at High Wycombe magistrates’ court this morning but accepted a £1,000 fine.
Initially, we reported that the actress had asked for a hearing after being caught by an automatic camera speeding at 38 mph in a 30 mph zone in her £30,000 Audi S3.
The court heard today how Watson had three previous offences on her record with a total of nine points.
She triggered the flash late at night on July 31 last year on the busy Banbury Road in Oxford.
Watson had been studying creative writing at the city’s university.
The three added points mean Watson is now banned from driving until January next year after totting up too many tickets.
Fellow Harry Potter actress Zoe Wanamaker was also disqualified from driving just minutes after her co-star Watson was slapped with the sentence.
The 77-year-old, known for her role in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, accumulated 12 points on her license after being flashed by speed cameras four times within 11 months.
Wanamaker played flying broom instructor Madam Rolanda Hooch – who featured in the JK Rowling-inspired series’ first film.
Prosecutor Adrian Wilson said of Watson’s sentence: “The offence occurred at 22.44 on the 31st July 2024.
“There was a recorded speed of 38 miles per hour.
“Ms Watson had nine points on her licence for three previous speeding offences on 8/10/23, 26/11/23 and 29/1/24.”
Watson’s lawyer, Mark Haslam, said the Hollywood star, said to be worth £60million, was not earning a salary but was “in a position to pay” the fine.
He added the film star would not try and mitigate the fine despite her applying for a sentencing hearing.
The lawyer said: “She’s a student with no direct income at the moment, but she is in a position to pay the fine.
“She fully understands there is no exceptional hardship.”
The former Harry Potter actress was charged by post and pleaded guilty through the Single Justice Procedure on March 3.
District Judge Arvind Sharma, delivering the sentence to Watson, stated: “Her licence will receive three points, and she’ll face a Band A fine, which was originally £1,000, but reduced to £660 for her guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.
“She will pay a £244 surcharge and £120 costs, to be paid in full within 28 days.
“The 12 points (means) she is disqualified for six months from now.”
Meanwhile, Zoe Wanamaker’s hearing at High Wycombe magistrates’ court today came minutes after Watson was handed an identical sentence for the same driving offence.
Zoe, who also featured in Bergerac and Dr Who, drove at 46 miles per hour in a section of the M4 motorway which was under a 40mph speed restriction.
She must pay a £660 fine and £364 in costs and surcharges.
Her solicitor, Duncan Jones, told the court: “She’s not seeking any special treatment.
“She accepts she will be disqualified from driving.”
WATSON’S CAR TROUBLE
Emma Watson has fronted environmental campaigns for charities, including writing books for the COP26 eco conference.
But her speeding offence was just the latest car trouble for the star in recent times.
She was filmed bargaining with tow-truck drivers when they hauled her Audi onto a flatbed in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in February last year.
She had blocked a car park and ignored a “No Parking” sign to visit a pub with mum Jacqueline.
It meant a pizza restaurant manager had his car trapped in by Watson’s motor for nearly four hours.
After a frantic dash around nearby restaurants and bars, he called cops.
He added: “But when the police started to tow her car away, she came flying out of the pub shouting, ‘That’s my car, that’s my car!’”
