Ed Sheeran has been fined after failing to insure his classic Aston Martin while the vehicle was being restored and converted into an electric car. The singer-songwriter, 35, handed over the 1966 vehicle for an overhaul in 2021 and has not driven it since.
The DVLA noted on December 17 last year that the Aston Martin lacked insurance during its restoration. Sheeran, who was convicted last week of keeping an uninsured vehicle, told Bradford Magistrates' Court that he believed the workshop's insurance covered his car. He also stated the vehicle had not been on public roads for the past five years.
Magistrate Jacqueline Whittle ordered Sheeran to pay a £666 fine, along with £100 in costs and a £266 victim surcharge. He was prosecuted by the DVLA through the Single Justice Procedure and submitted a letter explaining his plea.
In his letter, Sheeran stated that the vintage Aston Martin has been continuously under the control of Aston Workshop Ltd. since 2021, remaining off public roads and within their garage. He asserted that there was no risk to the public due to the vehicle being inoperable and within the workshop's custody. He added that he had no physical possession or practical control of the vehicle during this period.
Sheeran, who received an MBE in 2017 for services to music and charity, apologized for the court's time. He also claimed he never received the DVLA's initial offer of an out-of-court fine, which he would have paid immediately. He said the restoration company had assured him they maintained comprehensive motor trade and road risk insurance policies covering vehicles in their care. It was his genuine belief, he wrote, that these policies provided sufficient cover under the law.
He also noted that the car had been declared off-road with a SORN notice on February 1 of this year. Sheeran emphasized that this was not a case of deliberate disregard for insurance obligations, actual use of an uninsured vehicle, or intent to avoid legal requirements. Instead, he attributed the issue to an administrative misunderstanding regarding an inoperable vehicle that was believed to be appropriately insured by the workshop.
Sheeran's case was processed on July 31 without a formal court hearing. He was among 1,451 individuals across England and Wales convicted last week for failing to insure their vehicles. A letter from Aston Workshop Limited intended to support Sheeran's case was not considered by the magistrate as it was not on the court system.