Tom Tugendhat banned for using mobile phone at wheel
Security minister Tom Tugendhat has been banned from driving for six months after being caught with his mobile phone in his hand while at the wheel.
The Conservative MP for Tonbridge and Malling, was stopped by police in his Skoda 4x4 in Wandsworth on April 14. Mr Tugendhat, who lives in Clapham,south-west London, appeared for a sentencing hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterdaywearing a blue tie and a navy suit.
Geraldine Dickinson, prosecuting, told the court that he was pulled over by police on Wandsworth High Street after an officer noticed that his phone was in his left hand.
"He noticed that the driver was using a handheld phone," she said. "The device was being held in the driver's left hand." She said the officer confirmed that Mr Tugendhat was not using the phone to call the emergency services.
"It was confirmed that they were using maps," she said.
Paul Morris, defending, said that his client accepted that he would receive a driving ban.
He did not offer any mitigation of "exceptional hardship" that would be caused by Mr
Tugendhatbeingbannedfrom driving.
Mr Tugendhat received six penalty points on his driver's licence for the offence, added to the six he already had for two previous driving offences – leading to him being banned for six months.
As well as the driving ban, the security minister received a £1,000 fine. He was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £100 and costs of £110.