Speeding

Miss C, interior designer, alleged to have exceeded a 40 mph limit in Bath. GATSO camera evidence unreliable. Prosecution offer no evidence on day of trial. Costs awarded.

Mr D, director, convicted of speeding at trial in King's Lynn. Appeal against conviction succeeds as evidence from Pro Laser III found to be unreliable. Opinion evidence of two police officers discredited. Costs awarded.

Mr K, alleged to be speeding on a motorway near Wakefield at between 120 and 130 mph in a Volvo. At trial, pleads guilty on an agreed basis. 3 penalty points and no disqualification.

Mr X, caught speeding at 109.6 mph on a motorway near Pontefract. Licence endorsed with 6 penalty points. No disqualification.

Mr L, coach operator, caught speeding again having 11 live penalty points on his licence. Totting up disqualification avoided following exceptional hardship submission.

Mrs P, artist, convicted at Hartlepool magistrates court of two speeding offences and failing to provide driver details. Appeal succeeds with all convictions quashed. Case reported as front page news in the Hartlepool Mail.

Causing death by dangerous driving

Mr V alleged to be driving at dangerously high speed and racing another driver on a dual carrigeway. The other driver loses control of his vehicle and crashes into oncoming traffic and dies. Prosecution fail to establish that Mr V was anything more than a 'slight or trifling' cause of the accident and he is acquitted of the main offence after a lengthy jury trial in Doncaster Crown Court.

Messrs B, H, M and J all said to be a cause of death of their motorbiker friend. Prosecution allege all were riding at dangerously high speed and all performing wheelies immediately before the fatal accident. Andrew appears for all defendants in a three week trial at York Crown Court. All acquitted of causing death by dangerous driving. Jury deadlocked on the aforementioned dangerous driving counts but convict on another. Suspended sentences passed.

Mr B, retired company director, age 87, prosecuted following a very high speed road traffic accident. Medical opinion establishes automatism defence. Prosecution offer no evidence at trial as they are unable to rebut the defence case. Not guilty verdicts recorded. Case makes front page news in the Yorkshire Evening Post and is reported nationally. Costs awarded.

Dangerous driving

Mr B, solicitor and deputy coroner, alleged to have driven dangerously over six miles of the A47 near King's Lynn. Prosecution say he drove at over 116 mph, dangerously too close behind other cars and to have dangerously overtaken a motorbike three abreast. Events witnessed by an ambulance driver, retired traffic police constable, off-duty traffic police constable and a community support officer. Client found not guilty of dangerous driving after trial at Norwich Crown Court. Costs awarded.

Drink driving

Mr W, student, alleged to have reversed his car onto the kerb by a police officer. Client found not guilty at trial. Costs awarded.

Mr B, driver, caught drink driving at almost three times the legal limit. Magistrates guideline sentence is "not less than a 20 month disqualification." The Court was persuaded to impose the minimum 12 month disqualification which can be further reduced by 25% if he undertakes the Drink Drive Rehabilitation Scheme.

Miss L, pleads guilty to driving with 113ug/100ml breath (legal limit is 35ug). Guideline sentence borders on custody. Client fined and disqualified.

Mr X, off licence owner, found asleep at the wheel of his running motor car "smelt strongly of intoxicants" and refuses to provide a sample of breath. Client pleads guilty to "failing to provide a specimen when in charge of a motor vehicle." Ten penalty points imposed but no disqualification.

Miss S, bar owner, attends court without a solicitor and pleads guilty to failing to provide a specimen for analysis and is then disqualified from driving for 18 months. Following intervention by this firm, the case is re-opened and her licence is returned pending trial. Miss S was found not guilty at trial and costs recovered in full from central funds.

Mr V caught drink driving at more than four times the legal limit (155ug/100ml breath). Magistrates guideline sentence is custody. Community penalty passed.

Careless driving

Mr T, driver, accused of deliberately driving into another moving vehicle. Witnesses all blame client for the accident. Client denies that his driving fell below the standard of a competent driver. Client found not guilty at trial and costs awarded.

Mr R, architect, involved in an accident in which an 11 year old girl was injured when crossing the road. Following a guilty plea, his driving licence was endorsed with less than the usual number of penalty points meaning that the DVLA did not then revoke his licence pursuant to the probationary driver provisions.

Driving whilst disqualified

Mr S caught driving whilst disqualified for the second time within two years. Magistrates indicate that custody is likely and adjourn for a pre-sentence report. Suspended sentence passed and further disqualified for 12 months.

No insurance

Mr F, store manager, pleads guilty to having no insurance. Client's mother wrongly believed that she had obtained insurance for her son. Client claims that he was misled into believing that he was covered by an insurance policy. Court finds special reasons not to endorse his licence.

Failure to comply with a traffic signal

Mr S, taxi driver, accused by two police officers of driving through a red light. Client denies offence and case proceeds to trial. Police officers are discredited under cross-examination at trial. Client found not guilty and costs awarded.

Mr J, is allegedly seen by a police officer driving through a red light. Photos of the scence show that the police officer could not possibly have seen that which he claimed from his location. CPS discontinue case prior to trial. Costs awarded.

Parking

We don't deal with parking cases unless they involve a court hearing.