Idris, 53, received a fine of 147 pounds sterling for riding his BMW motorbike along the Chelsea Embankment, central London, in excess of 20mph. At 10.12am, 21 June 2010, speed cameras caught him at 28mph. The court also assessed him three penalty points and charged PS110 for the costs of his case. He was further penalized with a victim surcharge.
He has shared many times his enthusiasm for mopeds. Taylor Swift sampled his enthusiasm in her 2019 track London Boy. She said, “We could go riding on my scooter, you know. Just in London.” His moped chase scene in Guy Ritchie’s 2008 movie Rock’n’Rolla may be remembered by fans.
Court Case Details
Elba acknowledged riding the moped, but said he had never been issued a notice of fixed penalties by the police. This prevented him from paying before appearing in court. Patterson Law, a motoring offence specialist firm.
Elba had a good driving record, and after pleading guilty to the offense, he avoided having to go through a trial. Elba was exempted from appearing in court because the case was dealt with under Single Justice Procedure.
The timing of the event attracts attention
The incident attracted extra attention as it happened a day following the news that Elba was working on a Netflix film about The King’s Trust, a charity founded by King Charles. His lawyers stressed that, despite the timing of this incident, he shouldn’t face additional financial penalties because something was beyond his control.
The Law, the Celebrities and Scooters
Elba’s case shows the popularity of mopeds among celebrities, and how important it is to follow traffic laws. No matter how well-known or popular a rider is.
