Home Office minister Robert Jenrick has “sincerely apologised” to a court after racking up his second speeding conviction in the space of a year.
Jenrick, 41, faces a possible driving ban after pleading guilty to flouting a 40mph limit during a late-night drive along the M1, shortly after his appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions at Wakefield Cathedral.
Court papers reveal the immigration minister’s Land Rover was recorded travelling at 68mph at just after 11.30pm on August 5 last year.
Police pictures show the southbound stretch of the M1 between junctions 18 and 17 had a temporary 40mph limit at the time, with two lanes closed for roadworks.
Admitting the offence this week, Jenrick, told Northampton magistrates’ court: “Please note by way of context that I was driving at 68 miles per hour on the M1 motorway, below the national speed limit of 70 miles per hour. At the late hour I was driving, the road was largely empty and I do not recall there being roadworks.
“I understand that there was a temporary 40 miles per hour limit in place on this section of the motorway. I would not have knowingly exceeded the speed limit in this manner.”
Last March the Standard revealed how he had been fined £307 and handed three penalty points for speeding on the A40 in west London, in an incident that dated back to August 2021.
Both prosecutions were brought under the Single Justice Procedure, allowing Jenrick, a qualified solicitor, to plead guilty in writing and avoid an appearance in court in person.
His latest case in Northampton was dealt with in private before a single magistrate on Tuesday, with no members of the press or public allowed to attend.
A court official confirmed a guilty plea had been entered, and the case has been adjourned until April 4 for consideration of possible disqualification.
According to court papers, Jenrick was written to by Northamptonshire Police at the £3 million London home he shares with his wife, corporate lawyer Michal Berkner.
He admitted being the driver, and was prosecuted after police decided “the alleged speed exceeds that permitted for the matter to be dealt with by way of conditional offer of ixed penalty”.
He is the latest senior Tory to have a brush with the law in recent months, after Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt and grandee Lord Nicholas Soames were both also convicted of speeding. Lord Soames faces a possible driving ban while Ms Mordaunt was handed a fine and penalty points.
Rishi Sunak was given a police fixed penalty for not wearing a seatbelt while security minister Tom Tugendhat was banned for six months last November for using his phone while at the wheel.
Mr Jenrick’s office and the Home Office were contacted for comment.
