Mid Suffolk MP fined £430 for mobile phone use while driving
George Freeman admitted to checking navigation apps in traffic, resulting in six penalty points and additional court costs.
By Richard Evans ·
Voters in Mid Suffolk and drivers across the UK will see a familiar face removed from the road after George Freeman accepted a £430 fine for using his mobile phone while driving.
The former transport minister pleaded guilty at Stratford Magistrates’ Court today. He received six penalty points on his driving licence, a standard sanction for looking at a device behind the wheel. The fine covers the base penalty, a £172 surcharge to support justice services, and £130 in costs paid to the Metropolitan Police.
A cyclist witnessed the incident and photographed Freeman before reporting him to police. Freeman stated he was stuck in gridlocked traffic and using the Waze application to find an alternative route. He acknowledged his error in a brief comment, saying he took full responsibility and deeply regretted the actions.
Freeman has served in the House of Commons since 2010, holding various ministerial posts under the governments of David Cameron, Boris Johnson, and Rishi Sunak. His earlier tenure included a campaign for increased road safety investment following a series of accidents in his constituency in 2014.
He stepped down as science minister in 2023, citing financial pressure from mortgage payments on a £120,000 salary. That move allowed him to take on secondary employment, including a paid advisory role with GHGSat starting in April 2024. He also served as trade envoy for Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Brunei, a position from which he was suspended after self-reporting a conflict of interest to a parliamentary watchdog.
Source: Metro
