Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby fined for speeding just days after overseeing King's Coronation
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has been fined for speeding
PA
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has been fined for speeding just days after presiding over King Charles’s Coronation.
Welby, 67, was handed three penalty points and a £510 fine during a private hearing on Friday at Lavender Hill Magistrate's Court, after the offence which initially occurred in October.
The £510 sum was made up of a £300 fine, a £120 victim surcharge, and the £90 he was ordered to pay in costs.
The Archbishop’s speeding conviction was caught on camera driving 25mph in a 20mph zone on the embankment, parallel to the River Thames last year.
He was given a £510 fine and three points for the offence
PA
He admitted to the driving contravention after the Metropolitan Police wrote to his Lambeth address making him aware of the intended prosecution, court papers stated.
The Single Justice Procedure letter, sent in March started with: “Dear Welby.”
Welby pleaded guilty to the offence online through the Single Justice Procedure letter, meaning the Battersea-based magistrate's court could handle the case based on written evidence alone at the private hearing.
In the Archbishop’s absence, police worker Andrew Chapman said in a statement to the court: “On 02/10/2022 at 11.05am at A3036 Albert Embankment a motor vehicle activated a speed camera.
King Charles was crowned with St Edward's Crown by The Archbishop of Canterbury the Most Reverend Justin Welby during his coronation ceremony in Westminster AbbeyPA“The speed recorded by means of RedSpeed SpeedCurb was 25 miles per hour.”
However, Lambeth Palace claimed Mr Welby was unaware that the case was being handled in court.
And the press office insists that “admin errors” prevented three efforts to pay the fine and resolve the matter.
A spokesperson said: “Yes, the archbishop knows about it but hadn’t been notified that it had gone to court.
“He has tried to resolve this and pay the fine three times. He has all the paperwork to prove that he has tried to pay. Admin errors seem to be causing problems.”
The religious leader's conviction comes after he officially enthroned the King last weekend at Westminister Abbey with the words: “Stand firm, and hold fast from henceforth this seat of royal dignity."
It’s been an eventful week for the clergyman who was also in the headlines for his criticism of the government's highly controversial Immigration Bill.
The bill to stop small boats crossing was contested by unelected Lords in the House of Commons this week.
Welby called the bill “impractical and immoral,” while insisting it “risks damage to the UK’s reputation.”
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