Safe Speed Forums

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/u ... 017307.ece

Father jailed for taking son’s speeding points
Jack Malvern

A 77-year-old man who took the blame for a speeding offence to spare his son from a driving ban was jailed for three months yesterday.

Robert Logue was told that he had been given a custodial sentence despite his age and health problems because he had “struck at the fabric of justice” by lying to police.

The pensioner is one of about 500,000 Britons who have taken the blame for other people’s speeding offences. The deception, which allows drivers with nine points on their licence to avoid bans, is done commonly within families but can also be a lucrative enterprise. The RAC Foundation says that students can make up to £1,000 by taking the blame for offences committed by a person whose career is dependent on driving.

Logue’s son, also called Robert, was caught by a speed camera driving at 51mph in a 40mph zone near Boston, Lincolnshire, on October 7 last year. He persuaded his father, who had a clean licence, to take the blame.

Police were alerted when Logue’s son boasted about his escape to a friend, who subsequently reported him. “Dad took the blame. I’m not proud of that, because he’s my father and I know I got him into trouble,” he told Lincoln Crown Court.

Both men admitted perverting the course of justice. Logue’s son, 51, of Walesby, Nottinghamshire, was jailed for three months, given three penalty points, banned from driving for six months and fined £150.

Jeremy Robson, Logue’s lawyer, said that his client suffered high blood pressure and had a wife who was dependent on his support. “He stands before the court having made a very serious mistake. He could not be more ashamed of his behaviour. He is thought of highly by his parish priest, who refers to him as never having told a lie,” Mr Robson added.

Judge Michael Heath told Logue’s son: “Your father took the penalty points. That is a serious offence. It strikes at the fabric of justice. The message must go out that people who do this, and who say they don’t think they are doing anything seriously wrong, will not get away with it. I have considered your health and domestic circumstances, but I am not persuaded any sentence should be suspended.”

A recent survey by Churchill Insurance suggests that 1.5 per cent of motorists � about 495,000 � have swapped penalty points with friends and relatives. Paul Smith, of the road safety group Safe Speed, said that police relied on admissions of guilt to secure conviction in these cases. “There are hundreds of thousands of people involved in this but there have only been a dozen convictions.”

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I actually said 'convictions measured in dozens'. I know of 40 in Manchester - probably less than 100 in all.

And a 77 year old man? For doing his son a favour? Has the world gone barking mad?

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

And in the meantime we're releasing burglars because there's no space in prison for them.

once again, jailing ordinary civilians but police officers do not get jail for the same offence.

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

Isn't that what speed camera law and this insane judgement are doing?

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It's tricky doing nothing - you never know when you're finished

What a lovely "friend" then.

The fabric of justice mind!

Are we the deluded ones?

Give it a couple of years and we'll have prisons especially for motorists who have pulled this one.

Either that or a workforce that cannot mobilise because they haven't got a license and public transport doesn't enable them/is too expensive for them to work.

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Prepare to be Judged

The whole scamming operation nationwide strikes at the fabric of justice.

Lies Lies and more lies seem to be the norm, ie prior opinions, done for safety, 1745 peoples lives save at camera sites, what each year, come on the chances of repeat accidents at any site are negligible. More likely increased accidents caused through braking at scam site.

Its time real justice stood up for itself and brought back proper policing.

Hi just reading the rest of the story and it makes my blood boil.

I feel that the sentence is totally over the top, "Both men admitted perverting the course of justice. Logue’s son, 51, of Walesby, Nottinghamshire, was jailed for three months, given three penalty points, banned from driving for six months and fined £150".

Muggers get a ticking of and told to not do it again.

Why are motorists persecuted.

Cars are safer, brakes work better, designed to minimise impact damage. The only change to reduce safety is the introduction of many thousands of camera, punitive fines and mobile scammers who lie.

Sorry could no resist a second post.