Emma Watson, the beloved actress who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, has been banned from driving for six months after being caught speeding in Oxford.
The 34-year-old was snapped by a speed camera doing 38mph in a 30mph zone while driving her £30,000 Audi S3 on July 31, 2023.
But this wasn’t her first brush with the law behind the wheel. Watson already had nine penalty points on her licence from previous driving offences. That pushed her over the legal limit of 12 points within a three-year period, an automatic disqualification under UK driving rules.
No Speed Awareness Course This Time
While many first-time speeding offenders are offered a speed awareness course instead of penalty points, Watson didn’t qualify. Her record was already full.
UK law is clear: once a driver hits 12 points, a court can impose a minimum six-month driving ban.
Watson didn’t attend the short five-minute hearing at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, July 16. The judge handed down the disqualification along with a fine of £1,044, including court costs and a victim surcharge.
This isn’t Watson’s first driving mishap. In February 2023, her car was towed in Stratford-upon-Avon after she parked it in front of a private driveway. The vehicle blocked other cars, including one owned by a local pizza shop owner, from exiting.
Watson later laughed it off on social media, joking she was “still searching for parking in Stratford-upon-Avon.”
Another Harry Potter Star Caught Speeding
In an odd coincidence, Zoe Wanamaker, who played Quidditch referee Madam Hooch in the first Harry Potter film, was also banned from driving by the same court on the same day.
The 76-year-old was clocked doing 46mph in a 40mph zone in her blue Volvo. Like Watson, she already had nine points on her licence. She received the same sentence: a six-month ban and a £1,044 fine.
Neither actress appeared in court.
Fans may be surprised to hear their favourite stars facing real-world consequences. But in the eyes of the law, celebrity status doesn’t grant immunity from traffic penalties.
Whether you’re flying on a broomstick or stuck in traffic, the speed limit still applies.