Emma Watson Banned From Driving After Speeding Incident

[Emma Watson – AI Generated Image]

Harry Potter actress Emma Watson has been banned from driving for six months following a speeding violation that occurred last summer. The case was heard at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

The Incident

Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, was caught driving at 38mph in a 30mph zone in Oxford on the evening of July 31, 2024. The violation was captured by a traffic enforcement camera while she was driving her blue Audi S3.

Court Proceedings

The 35-year-old actress did not attend the brief five-minute hearing at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court. Watson had previously entered a guilty plea on March 3, 2025. Her solicitor, Mark Haslam, stated in court that Watson “fully understands her position and will accept her punishment”.

Penalties and Background

Watson was ordered to pay a total of £1,044, which includes a £650 fine, £120 in court costs, and a £264 victim surcharge. The driving ban was automatic due to the accumulation of penalty points on her licence.

Prior to this incident, Watson already had nine points on her driving record from three previous offences that occurred in October 2023, November 2023, and January 2024. The additional three points from this latest violation brought her total to 12 points, triggering the automatic six-month driving ban under UK law.

Current Activities

Watson is currently pursuing a PhD (DPhil) in creative writing at the University of Oxford, having initially started with a master’s degree in the subject in September 2023. Her lawyer mentioned during the hearing that she is a student and “in a position to pay the fine”.

This marks Watson’s fourth driving offence in less than two years. Her Audi had also been previously impounded by police in February 2024 for illegal parking in Stratford-upon-Avon, where it was blocking two cars.

Coincidental Court Appearance

In an interesting coincidence, Watson’s Harry Potter co-star Zoe Wanamaker, who played Madam Hooch in the first film, was also banned from driving for six months at the same court on the same day. Wanamaker had been caught speeding at 46mph in a 40mph zone on the M4 in Newbury, Berkshire, in August 2024.

The actress, best known for her role as Hermione Granger, stepped away from acting after her appearance in 2019’s “Little Women” and has maintained a relatively low public profile while focusing on her academic studies.

reference:

Manchester Evening News. (2025, July 16). “Emma Watson banned from driving after court appearance.” Retrieved from https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/showbiz-news/emma-watson-banned-driving-court-32070567