Bestselling crime writer Lynda La Plante, creator of the iconic DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect, is embroiled in a real-life legal battle after being accused of speeding three times in a 20mph zone near her home in Kingston-upon-Thames, West London. The 83-year-old author claims the signage for the speed limit is 'very confusing' and that the placement of speed cameras leaves drivers with insufficient time to slow down.
Three speeding allegations in five months
La Plante faces three separate charges for allegedly driving at 24mph, 26mph, and 27mph in a 20mph zone on the A308 Kingston Hill between November 2025 and April 2026. According to court papers, the first incident occurred at 9.24am on November 2, 2025, when her Toyota was clocked at 24mph. The second was at 9.35am on March 5, 2026, a short distance along the same road, and the third at 10.03am on April 11, 2026, past the same camera involved in the second offence.
In written responses to the court, La Plante has pleaded guilty to the third charge but disputes the circumstances, arguing that the warning signs for the 20mph limit are placed only 10-15 paces from a 30mph zone on a downhill stretch. 'It is impossible to reduce the speed appropriately in that time/distance,' she wrote. She also noted that there is 'no 20mph painted on road' and that the camera is positioned just 10 seconds from the sign, with traffic and cyclists overtaking making it dangerous to brake suddenly.
Criticism of court procedures and signage
La Plante has also taken issue with the difficulty of obtaining legal advice. On a Single Justice Procedure form, she circled a line directing defendants to a government website for legal advisers, but wrote 'No longer available' after finding the weblink did not work. She also described a 25-minute phone wait to speak to an adviser who 'did not speak English'.
In her response to the first charge, she ticked both guilty and not guilty boxes and requested a court hearing, asking the court to 'survey the very confusing signs to indicate from 30mph to 20mph'. For the second incident, she suggested she had tried to pay a fine by cheque to avoid prosecution but was critical of the communications.
Potential driving ban and court date
Court papers from the Met Police indicate that if convicted of all three offences, La Plante would accumulate at least 12 penalty points, triggering an automatic six-month driving disqualification. The Met has brought all three prosecutions through the fast-track Single Justice Procedure, while responsibility for the speed limit signs and road markings lies with the local council.
La Plante, who was awarded a CBE in 2008 for services to literature, drama, and charity, is due to appear at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court on August 3, 2026. The case has drawn attention due to her fame as the creator of hit TV series Widows and Prime Suspect, which tackled institutional sexism in the Metropolitan Police.
