Crime novelist Lynda La Plante has been disqualified from driving for six months after accumulating nine points on her license due to multiple speeding offenses. The court heard that La Plante committed three speeding offenses in June 2023, followed by two more in June and July 2025, leading to her disqualification.
During the court proceedings, La Plante argued that a driving ban would negatively impact her career, stating she believed she would have to rehome her dog if she could not drive him to his daily walks. "I think the emotional turmoil of that would truly damn my career as a writer," she told the court. "It's very, very solitary and I work exceptionally hard and I would just stop."
La Plante, best known for creating the character of Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison in the Prime Suspect series, admitted to driving at speeds of 24 mph, 25 mph, 26 mph, and 27 mph in the recent offenses. All these incidents occurred while she was en route to walk her dog, Theo. According to evidence presented, La Plante acquired Theo after the death of another dog, Hugo, and stated that Theo had helped her through the grieving process.
In her statement to the court, La Plante also noted the challenges of navigating speed limits, submitting a note that read: "I wish the court to survey the very confusing signs to indicate from 30pph to 20pph. The speed camera is a very short distance - no more than 10 seconds and with traffic & cyclists overtaking but almost hitting bumper of my vehicle."