Stopped doing 96 on the M1 |
Stopped doing 96 on the M1 |
Sun, 15 Jun 2014 - 14:37
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#1
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New Member Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 15 Jun 2014 Member No.: 71,281 |
Hi Guys,
This is my first time here so please bear with me. As you can see from the subject, I was stopped on the M1, the facts are: 14/12/2013 - pulled over having being lasered at 96 by a stationary marked car . When questioned as to why I'd been stopped, admitted speeding and received a traffic offence report and a NIP there and then. Then nothing......until 06/06/2014 - received a court summons to Leeds Magistrates with the option to plead guilty by post. Hearing date is 08/07/2014. The charges as set out start by saying that "This Offence carries penalty points" and then list the details of the offence. The vehicle I was driving was a courtesy car which my partner had been given whilst hers was off the road being repaired after a crunch. I have already decided to plead guilty by post, I have completed the statement of means, and I have already drafted (but by no means finished) a mitigating circumstances statement as follows: I would like to apologise to the court for not attending this case but feel that pleading guilty by post was the simplest way to deal with this case and I did not want to waste the court's valuable time by appearing in person. At the time of the offence, the weather was fine and the motorway was dry with very good visibility and an unusually low volume of traffic. The vehicle I was driving at the time was a hire car which we had on loan as my partner's vehicle had been involved in an accident about a month earlier - it was the first time I had driven this vehicle on the motorway. I would like to point at that I am certainly not using these facts as excuses, I am merely describing the circumstances at the time of the offence. I fully accept that speeding is a very serious offence and I have no excuse or explanation for my actions on that day. I can only apologise for these actions and accept any punishment that the court hands down. I was all ready to put this in the post but it would be much appreciated if anybody could offer any further assistance or comments before I do this and, perhaps most importantly, advise of the likely outcome. Edited to add that I have quite a bit of speeding history from my early to mid 20s (20 years ago) including a 2 week ban but since then have been quite well behaved and now just have a SP30 dated 12/09/2006 which got me an FP and 3 points. Many thanks for taking the time to read this. This post has been edited by Giblet: Sun, 15 Jun 2014 - 14:41 |
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Sun, 15 Jun 2014 - 14:37
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Sun, 15 Jun 2014 - 15:11
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 233 Joined: 28 Jun 2011 Member No.: 47,856 |
Others more knowledgeable will be along shortly but I was wondering if
QUOTE as my partner's vehicle had been involved in an accident about a month earlier would be better as "as my partner's vehicle had been out of service for about a month" |
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Sun, 15 Jun 2014 - 15:15
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#3
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New Member Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 15 Jun 2014 Member No.: 71,281 |
Good point although the accident wasn't her fault - she was parked in a car park (and in the shop at the time) when someone reversed in to her car. So the courtesy car was, well, courtesy of the other party's insurance.
However, since the mags don't know that I can see that a wording change would be sensible - thanks. |
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Sun, 15 Jun 2014 - 16:09
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#4
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Member Group: Members Posts: 13,572 Joined: 28 Mar 2010 Member No.: 36,528 |
QUOTE it was the first time I had driven this vehicle on the motorway. Up to you, but I would not draw attention to the fact that you were 26mph over the limit in a vehicle with which you were not familiar. Also, I do not think the first line adds anything, magistrates get bored dealing with postal pleas so would rather see a real live defendant, and when dealing with postal pleas do not want to spend time reading irrelevancies. The more succinct the better. -------------------- |
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Sun, 15 Jun 2014 - 18:34
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 5,002 Joined: 17 Mar 2008 From: Worcestershire Member No.: 18,111 |
Edited to add that I have quite a bit of speeding history from my early to mid 20s (20 years ago) including a 2 week ban but since then have been quite well behaved and now just have a SP30 dated 12/09/2006 which got me an FP and 3 points. Your past driving history is not relevant now due to how long ago this was, the 12/09/2006 FPN is also totally passed, you have (until the court case) a clean driving licence. They certainly cut it fine, only a week within the 6 months time out -------------------- Now driving a Mercedes Sprinter, the Transit died of too much work.
Results for last 5 years:- 12 PPC tickets received, 0 paid 2 Council tickets received, 0 paid (both canceled) 2 Nip's in 40 years 1 paid (damn!) 1 SAC, duly educated! |
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Mon, 16 Jun 2014 - 09:14
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#6
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Member Group: Members Posts: 9,529 Joined: 5 May 2011 From: UK Member No.: 46,399 |
I would suggest either turning up suited and booted or simply plead guilty by post and not bother with a letter.
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Mon, 16 Jun 2014 - 14:57
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#7
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New Member Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 15 Jun 2014 Member No.: 71,281 |
Thanks for all replies thus far.
Since I don't have a suit and the only boots I own are scruffy walking ones, I'll take your suggestion of G by post and no mitigation. That's almost what my partner suggested - she said 'just write "Guilty as charged - very sorry"' Thanks again |
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Fri, 11 Jul 2014 - 14:12
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#8
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New Member Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: 15 Jun 2014 Member No.: 71,281 |
Hi All,
Just to conclude this topic as my court case was Tuesday 8th July I pleaded guilty by post and did not write anything in the mitigating circumstances. Result, £265 fine, £26 VS, £85 costs and 5 shiny new points on my licence - previously clean so not too much to worry about there. Many thanks for all the advice offered, I hope not to have to trouble you again any time soon! Cheers J |
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