Stephen Fry’s fiance Elliott Spencer banned from driving
Elliott Spencer, Stephen Fry’s fiance, has been banned from driving for speeding at 101mph.
He was driving an Aston Martin the couple had been loaned, to take Fry to a literature festival on the Welsh borders. Mr Fry told Spencer to “get a move on” when they were running late.
A mobile speed camera caught Spencer driving at 101mph, for which he was handed a seven-day driving ban and a £100 fine at Cwmbran magistrates court in Torfaen.
The defending QC, Mark Myeth said: “Mr Fry, who is Spencer’s partner, was due as the new president of the literature festival and was due that afternoon to give his inaugural address.
“They hit a large backlog of traffic and in a moment of indiscretion Mr Fry suggested to Spencer that he might like to get a move on.
“No other drivers were inconvenienced and he eventually did make it by a matter of a few minutes, in time for the festival. Mr Fry assumes all responsibility because it was his decision that made Spencer put his foot down.
“The Aston Martin plainly did not belong to Spencer. It was on loan because they were interested in buying such a vehicle, but they did not for obvious reasons.
“What happened here was unfamiliarity with a vehicle which is extremely powerful and which they had had for just a few days.”
Mr Fry was also in court to support his fiance, with whom his engagement was announced on Tuesday. After the case, Mr Fry spoke about the time since the announcement: “It’s been wonderful. We’ve not fixed a date and if I had I wouldn’t tell you! But I can say it will be sometime within the next year or so.”
Yesterday, Mr Spencer scraped Mr Fry’s Bentley on the side of a garage while they tried to evade reporters camped outside their home.
