The 55 year-old former Verve frontman did not appear at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded guilty by post to speeding in his eight year-old green four litre Mercedes-Benz AMG V8, which sold for approximately £145,000 new.
The court heard on February 19, last year he exceeded the 40mph limit on an elevated section of the M4 motorway between the Grand Union Canal and Claypools Avenue, Brentford, when caught on camera at 48mph at 11.38pm.
Wigan-born Ashcroft, who lives in a £10m house overlooking Richmond Green, Richmond-upon-Thames was represented by Conall Bailie, instructed by Freeman & Co Solicitors, the law firm of ‘Mr Loophole’ Nick Freeman.
“Mr Ashcroft will not be in attendance and through me he apologises to the court. He had a pre-arranged commitment that he could not break.”
Prosecutor Laura-Ann Harding told the short hearing Ashcroft was recorded at 48mph just before midnight and already has nine penalty points on his driving licence.
Those are for three speeding offences on December 16, 2022; July 5, 2023 and October 21, 2024.
Today’s three penalty points for a fourth speeding offence trigger an automatic six-month ban for the award-winning musician, who was the support act for the Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour.
District Judge Daniel Benjamin announced: “On February 19 last year Mr Ashcroft drove his vehicle on the M4 not only at the speed limit, but at the speed limit, plus one fifth of it at 48mph.
“The speed limit had no doubt been set to ensure the safety of all road users at the time and Mr Ashcroft, in speeding, put not only himself, but others road users at greater risk of harm.”
He fined Ashcroft £1,875, plus £130 costs and ordered him to pay a £750 victim surcharge by the end of the month.
“He has put no information before the court concerning his means apart from indicating he can pay the statutory maximum.”
Earlier in the hearing the judge asked Mr Bailie: “How does he make ends meet?”
“He has clearly had penalty points imposed previously,” added Judge Benjamin, again repeating the dates of those offences.
“He has a total of twelve penalty points and is liable for the totting-up disqualification.
“The purpose of the penalty points disqualification provision is to enable a person after one offence to change and after a second offence change and after a third offence change and Mr Ashcroft has reached four offences without showing any intention to abide by the speed limit.
“Should Mr Ashcroft drive on the road within the next six months from now he may well be liable to the punishment of imprisonment.”
Fortunately for Ashcroft two further speeding offences, brought by Thames Valley Police were dropped.
These were for speeding twice on March 6, last year while driving a new orange £55,000 three litre Ford Ranger Raptor V6.
He had been prosecuted for exceeding the 70mph limit on the westbound M4 motorway near Slough, Berkshire, while travelling at 84mph.
On the same day, again on the westbound M4 he allegedly exceeded the temporary 50mph limit near Burghfield, Reading, while travelling at 57mph.
Ms Harding told the court those two charges were being withdrawn.
Father-of-two Ashcroft, married to musician Kate Radley, former keyboardist of Spiritualised, fronted the Verve from 1990 as the sole singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist until they disbanded in 1999, reforming again between 2007 and 2009.
Hit’s include the international smash ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ and ‘Lucky Man’.
His subsequent successful solo career saw Ashcroft release six top-three UK albums.
He is a two-time Ivor Novello award-winner for songwriting and Brit award-winner for Best Group (Verve) and album ‘Urban Hymns’.
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