Nocturnal 
Peaky Blinders actor Joe Cole has pleaded guilty to speeding after he was caught driving at 24mph in a 20mph zone near Wandsworth Common in south London.
The 37-year-old, best known for playing John Shelby in the BBC gangster drama, was behind the wheel of his BMW 1 Series when he was recorded going four miles per hour over the limit on 28 May this year, according to court documents.
Cole entered his guilty plea using the single justice procedure, a system used for straightforward motoring offences that lets defendants submit a plea in writing without attending court. He indicated he did not wish to appear in person, meaning a magistrate will now decide his fine and any penalty points in a private hearing.
What Cole said in his plea
In a written statement explaining the delay in dealing with the case, Cole said: “I am an actor and have been abroad for the last few months. I have not received relevant documentation for me to pay the fine for this offence.”
Cole, who lives in Kingston-upon-Thames, a few miles from where the offence took place, has not commented further publicly. The actor is widely known for his four-year run as John Shelby in Peaky Blinders between 2013 and 2017, starring opposite Cillian Murphy. He was also nominated for a Bafta for the Black Mirror episode “Hang the DJ” and played the lead gangster Sean Wallace in Gangs of London.
Cole first broke through playing troubled teenager Luke Fowler in Channel 4’s Skins before landing the Peaky Blinders role. He previously explained his decision to leave the Shelby family behind, telling Metro he had “spent the last few years turning down gang related shows” and wanted to “explore new avenues, and new characters and new stories” rather than keep playing similar roles.
Why it matters
Cole’s case lands amid wider debate in Britain over 20mph zones and road safety enforcement. Earlier this year the Government set out a road safety strategy aiming to cut deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035, including fresh guidance for councils on setting local speed limits and possible changes to the default 30mph limit on urban roads.
Not everyone is on board with lower limits, though. A poll by insurance comparison site Quotezone.co.uk found 66% of people opposed downgrading key 30mph roads to 20mph, suggesting the rollout of more restrictive zones remains contentious.
Cole is also not the first famous face to be caught out this year. EastEnders star Shane Richie was banned from driving after being caught speeding, which he blamed on being “baited” by paparazzi, while former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah received a six-month driving ban after speeding in his Rolls-Royce.
For now, Cole’s case sits with a magistrate, who will decide what fine and penalty points he receives without him needing to appear in court. No date has been given for when that decision will be announced.
