Drivers warned of speeding fines and points after Suella Braverman incident

Home Secretary Suella Braverman was caught breaking the speed limit when she was Attorney General last summer.

As part of her punishment, the Conservative MP for Fareham faced points on her driving licence and a fine, or she could take a speed awareness course as part of a group.

The BBC reported that the cabinet minister tried to arrange a one-on-one course through civil servants and her adviser. A Government source denied Ms Braverman broke the ministerial code.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has backed the Home Secretary, with Downing Street saying Mr Sunak had confidence in Mrs Braverman.

If a driver is caught speeding by a speed camera, they will be sent a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) and a Section 172 notice, where they will normally receive a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).

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If they are stopped by the police, drivers can receive a verbal warning, receive or be sent an FPN or they can be ordered to go to court through a letter they’ll receive at a later date.

If someone admits wrongdoing by speeding, they will have to pay a £100 fine and have three points added to their licence.

They may also be given the option to attend a speed awareness course, with most councils charging between £73 and £95.

People are given this option if the police decide it is appropriate for the offence and if they have not been on a speed awareness course in the past three years.

If someone does not plead guilty, the case can go to court, and drivers can be fined more and get more penalty points if the court decides they are guilty of speeding.

According to the GOV.UK website, the amount that someone is fined depends on the speed limit and how much over it they were driving.

It is usually a percentage of their weekly income, up to a maximum of £1,000 or £2,500 if they were driving on the motorway.

If this does happen, people can also be disqualified from driving or have their licence suspended.

Research from Confused.com found that millions of drivers were at risk of being fined for common driving habits which break the law.

The most common response from motorists who hadn’t previously been fined was speeding, with 51 percent admitting to breaking the speed limit.

Data found that speeding was also the top offence for those who had been convicted, at 72 percent.

Of those caught breaking the law, more than half (53 percent) were fined, while 38 percent had to attend a driver or speed awareness course.

A source close to the home secretary said: “Mrs Braverman accepted three points for a speeding offence which took place last summer. The Cabinet Office was made aware of the situation as requested by Mrs Braverman. She was not and is not disqualified from driving.”

A Cabinet Office spokesman added: “It would not be appropriate to comment on the existence or content of advice between Government departments.”