Stormzy banned from driving after mobile phone use

Stormzy, the British rapper, has been banned from driving for nine months after pleading guilty to using a phone while driving.

The 31-year-old rapper,  whose real name is Michael Ebenazer Owuo Junior, was stopped by an off-duty police officer while driving a Rolls-Royce on Addison Road, West Kensington, London, in March last year.

During the stop, the officer reportedly knocked on Owuo’s tinted passenger window and told him to “get rid of your tints and get off your phone”.

Initially, Stormzy denied the claim but later wrote to the court to change his plea to guilty.

Andrew Sweet, the presiding judge, said Stormzy’s driving record was “not good” and described his action as “dangerous and irresponsible”.

The district judge then banned the rapper, who was not present in court, from driving for nine months and fined him £2,010.

Before Thursday’s hearing, the singer had six points on his licence.

In the UK, drivers can be disqualified if they build up 12 or more penalty points within three years.

In July 2024, Stormzy admitted to driving a Lamborghini Urus that had front windows illegally tinted to only 4% light transmission, violating the 70% requirement.

Prosecutor Alice Holloway said the vehicle’s use was dangerous and put “vulnerable road users at risk”.

Defending the rapper, Peter Csemiczky, his solicitor, said his client apologised and had removed the tints.