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It's just routine, I've nothing at all to add

Dec 5 2006

By Peter Taylor, The Evening Chronicle

Crime Czar Lord Mackenzie has appeared in the dock on a motoring charge. The Government special advisor was charged under the Road Traffic Act.

Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate, a former senior police officer and ex-president of the Police Superintendent's Association of England and Wales, appeared before a bench at Bedlington.

A regular speaker in the Lords, Lord Mackenzie turned up in person to enter a plea of not guilty to an alleged offence of failing to supply information, as the keeper of a vehicle, to the chief officer of police.

The charge relates to an alleged speeding offence in Gateshead in which the Labour peer's BMW was allegedly clocked at 45mph in a 30mph limit stretch of road.

The case was adjourned until February of next year for a trial.

The full charge against Lord Mackenzie is that between April 6 and May 4 this year, being the keeper of a vehicle, he failed to supply information to the chief officer of police.

After the hearing at Bedlington, Lord Mackenzie, whose name appeared on the court list as Brian Mackenzie, said: "It's just a routine speeding ticket and I've nothing to add.

"It's my car but I was not driving it. I am not going to comment any further."

Lord Mackenzie joined the House of Lords in July, 1998, the year he retired, after years of distinguished service with Durham Police.

He had 35 years of experience with the police force, ranging from beat bobby, through detective and drug squad, to senior command.

A former Durham Chief Supt, Lord Mackenzie is also a special adviser to the Home Secretary.

He served as head of his force drug squad and also as head of the crime computer project team, spending two years in an advisory capacity seconded to the Home Office.

He is a former governor of the Police Staff College, Bramshill and was a member of the Police Training Council for five years.

Lord Mackenzie has held sub-divisional and divisional command in the rank of both superintendent and chief superintendent.

He has been commended for outstanding police work on seven occasions, by the courts and by his chief constable.

He is a graduate of the FBI Academy in Washington DC and also has a law degree from London University.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

The irony is almost comical.

Surely a guy at this level would have contacts briefing him about the whole ECHR thing....?! Is this a message from the inside?!