Filmmaker Guy Ritchie has been banned from driving for six months after a cyclist filmed him texting while he was behind the wheel.
The director was spotted typing a message on his phone as he drove his car through London's Hyde Park in November last year. Ritchie has also been ordered to pay a fine of £ 666, as well as £166 as prosecution costs and court fees, reports mirror.co.uk.
He has already been hauled up thrice previously for speeding offences in March 2017, and February and December last year. In the video, Ritchie is seen waiting in traffic when the cyclist stops beside him.
Caught Red Handed
"Hello my friend," he says when he realises he is being watched. The cyclist replies: "I don't think you should be using your text messages while you are driving. I saw you doing it back there as well." Ritchie then drives away as the traffic moves forward. The filmmaker has admitted to being the driver in the video. Cyclist Mike van Erp sent the video to the police, with the file titled: "Man typing on his mobile phone whilst behind the wheel of his car."
The cyclist said as part of his statement: "I spotted this driver texting on his phone. I stopped and whilst waiting for traffic to clear could clearly see the driver typing on his phone." He did not know then the man he was filming was Ritchie.
He said he started filming and reporting drivers on a helmet camera after his father was killed in a road crash while riding a motorcycle. Ritchie pleaded guilty in writing to the latest offence. He was banned from driving for six months by magistrates at the southeast London township of Bromley on Tuesday.
