International rugby player Adam Hastings has been banned from driving after being caught using a mobile phone and also speeding, a court heard.
Hastings, 28, who has been capped 32 times by Scotland, was given a six-month driving ban and fines and costs totalling £618 after pleading guilty to using a mobile phone while driving and a separate speeding offence.
Gloucestershire Magistrates’ Court heard the fly-half was spotted on February 20 last year using his phone by uniformed police officers on the A40 Golden Valley bypass in Gloucester.
As Hastings already had six points on his licence after previously being caught speeding in 2022 and 2023, he was liable for disqualification under the totting up procedure.
Scott Davies, prosecuting, told the court: “On February 20 at around midday police officers in a marked patrol vehicle saw a grey Kia Sportage driving along the A40 northern bypass.
“As the car approached the Elmbridge Court roundabout the vehicle was seen to weave left and right before moving across to the left lane.
“Police observed the driver holding the mobile phone and his mouth was seen to move up and down as if engaging in a conversation.”
Mr Davies said the two officers stopped Hastings and informed him he would be reported for an offence of using a mobile phone.
Hastings, of Shurdington Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, did not attend the hearing but had pleaded guilty to both offences.
Anton Balkitis, representing the rugby player, said Hastings had only used the phone for around five seconds when he was caught and there was a “small amount of movement to one side”.
“The police officers were attracted by that standard of driving.
“He is a high-profile professional rugby player. His father is also a well-known rugby player.
“There is no statement of means form. The reason is Mr Hastings wants this matter dealt with as discreetly as possible.
“He also doesn’t wish to raise any exceptional hardship and doesn’t want any publicity of it all.
“He is very contrite and deeply apologetic about his driving. This will not occur again and he has learned his lesson.
“We would ask for the maximum leniency and we don’t raise exceptional hardship and we don’t have any financial information.
“He will take it on board as a salutary lesson.”
Presiding justice Steven Chandler said: “Mr Hastings has pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity for both these offences for using a mobile phone while driving and speeding, for which the penalty points would make him a totter.
“Mr Hastings has not made any representations as to why he should not be disqualified as a totter and he has not appeared in person.
“It is the speeding offence that triggers the totting disqualification.
“In the absence of any information of Mr Hastings’ income we have done what we do with anyone who does not provide that. We assume an average income of £440 per week.”
For the mobile phone offence Hastings was given six penalty points, fined £146 and ordered to pay a £58 surcharge and £110 prosecution costs.
Magistrates also imposed the six-month driving ban for the speeding offence and ordered the rugby player to pay a £146 fine, £58 surcharge and £100 prosecution costs.
Hastings is the newest member of a famous rugby dynasty and is the third member of the family to represent the senior Scotland side.
He is following in the footsteps of his father Gavin, a former Scotland captain, and uncle Scott.
The fly-half is currently in his second spell with Glasgow Warriors having previously played for Bath and Gloucester.
