Liam Payne Banned From Driving for 6 Months in UK After Speeding Conviction

Liam Payne is not allowed to drive in England for the next six months, a ban that stems from a February speeding incident, BBC News reports.

The former One Direction member was hit with a speeding citation on Feb. 24 after driving 43 mph in a 30 mph zone. The 30-year-old was driving in a Ford Ranger pickup truck on the A40 Westway flyover in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, at the time of the incident.

Per BBC, the “Strip That Down” singer was fined £293 ($357 USD) and was additionally ordered to pay a surcharge of £117 ($142 USD) and £90 ($109 USD) in costs.

Billboard has reached out to Payne’s representatives for comment.

On Oct. 3, a spokesperson for the Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court confirmed to The Evening Standard that Payne had pleaded guilty to the offense ahead of his sentencing on Oct. 9.

Payne wrote a letter to the court apologizing for his actions and stated intent to pay the fines associated with his citation. “I did not realize the speed limit and apologize for speeding,” he wrote, later adding that he “will pay any fine imposed within 14 days.”

Payne’s driving ban comes less than two months after postponing his tour of South America in August due to a kidney infection. “It’s with a heavy heart I have to tell you that we have no other choice but to postpone my upcoming tour of South America,” the singer wrote at the time. “Over the past week I’ve been in hospital with a serious kidney infection, it’s something I wouldn’t wish on anyone, and doctors orders are that I now need to rest and recover.” Payne promised to reschedule the tour and refund tickets.

In Sept. 19, Payne’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, confirmed that he was out of the hospital. “I just want to let everybody know that he’s doing so much better. He’s out of the hospital and he’s in good hands,” she shared via TikTok.