Conan Doyle Breaks the Law

by The Evening Telegraph and Post, Tuesday 6th June, 1905

Detective's Inventor Tumbles Into a Police Trap.

•Sir Arthur Conan Doyle broke the law recently by driving a motor car beyond the speed limit, and he was fined £5 at Guildford.
He was also charged with failing to produce his license when requested.
The novelist was taking some week-end guests to his country seat at Hindhead, Haslemere, and shortly after leaving Guildford he fell into a police trap.
His time over a measured quarter of a mile was 30 seconds, a speed of thirty miles an hour.
When told of this, the author of " Sherlock Holmes” said he did not think that his car could do thirty miles an hour, because he had often tried to make it, and had failed. He was then asked for his license, and said he had left it at home.
Mr Owtram, who appeared for defendant, elicited the fact that the measured portion of the road was level, but there was a hill to come down to it.
For the defence, Mr Owtram said Sir Arthur was a very considerate driver, and did not exceed six or seven miles an hour in a town or village; but the Chairman (Sir W. Chance)said motorists must make allowances for hills.

The Bench did not on this occasion take any notice of the to produce a license.