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'OUTRAGEOUS' ARREST FOR SPEEDING, CLAIM

12:30 - 14 November 2005

A mother-of-four was locked up in a Scottish cell and deprived of contact with her family before being driven to Scunthorpe to stand trial on Saturday - for a two-year-old speeding offence.

Michelle Keating (43), from Aberdeen, was caught speeding on the M180 in 2003 while rushing her husband to work at Humberside Airport. She received notice of police action against her and filled in the appropriate forms to send to the authorities, admitting the offence. She then heard nothing about the matter and believed charges must have been dropped.

However, on Thursday, when she was stopped during a routine police check, it was discovered there was a warrant out for her arrest issued by North Lincolnshire magistrates.

And, in what defence solicitor Stuart Cranidge told North Lincolnshire Magistrates' Court was 'one of the most outrageous cases I have dealt with in 35 years of being a solicitor' she was arrested and locked up for two days.

"Mrs Keating was quite perfectly properly arrested and taken to a Scottish police station," he said.

"She was assured somebody was being dispatched from Scunthorpe to collect her. In fact, nobody came to collect her until Friday."

In that time, he said, Mrs Keating was not allowed to speak to her husband or father when they came to visit.

"When Mr Keating said 'I've got four children' the response was 'are you saying you can't look after your kids? In that event the next call I'll make will be to social services'," said Mr Cranidge.

Prosecutor Andrew Horner confirmed Mrs Keating had been found guilty of speeding in her absence.

However, he successfully applied for the case to be reopened, before stating it should be withdrawn.

"I have to take into account everything that has happened to Mrs Keating and I do not think it is in the public interest to proceed," he said.

Mrs Keating's husband, Christopher (42), who had driven down from Aberdeen, said the matter had been disgusting and his faith in the justice system had been severely shaken.

"Why did my wife have to come all the way to Scunthorpe in custody to sort this matter out?" he said.

"We are law-abiding citizens and there is nothing to suggest we wouldn't have turned up.

"I can't understand why we didn't receive the proper notice about the original matter.

"We have moved house, but the car is registered to our new address and we pay a mortgage - we should be easy to find. In technology terms, we are visible from the moon."

Mr Cranidge added: "I'm delighted with the view taken by the Crown Prosecution Service in this case."

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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

Safe Speed issued the following PR at 13:22 this afternoon:

PR256: Jail for speeding...

news: for immediate release

Reports are emerging that a mother of four was arrested and held for 2 days
following a blunder over a speeding case.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "The application of the law regarding speeding is
out of control. It isn't making the roads safer. It's damaging the police /
public relationship and it is causing needless hardship for millions of
responsible motorists. The government must abandon these failed policies right
now.

<ends>

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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

What’s this country coming to. I had a friend who was found guilty in his absence, and at the same time moved house, however he was tracked down by bailiffs and had to pay extra on top of his fine. I’m sure this woman could have been tracked down if they really wanted to find her, and to bang her up for two days without being allowed to speak to anyone is pathetic. It makes me wonder if it’s just another over zealous act by the police to make motorist think twice about avoiding the payment of speeding fines. Somebody’s head should roll for this.

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

Oh I do hope those who aprehended this heinous criminal and kept her locked up for two day feel proud of the part they played in keeping Britain's streets safe.
Car-crash Britain is happening in full-on metal wrenching, technicolor glory. Lets pray that the airbag deploys and saves us all

If you mean Mr Blair, I fear that he's already deployed...

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"Politicians are the same the world over... We build bridges where there aren't any rivers." - Nikita Kruschev

This is appalling.

Surely deserving of the fullest of enquiries.

And what did all this cost the tax-payers of this country?
And all for what exactly?

Looks like our PR has been very effective getting the story distributed. Several TV companies and national newspapers have been on the phone having picked up on the story ONLY because of our PR.

That, of course, was the primary purpose of the PR. there's little there for Safe Speed really except the opportunity to give the system a bit of a kicking.

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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

She was effectively locked up for an administrative blunder on behalf of the Police and/or magistrates court. The fact that the original offence was a minor speed limit infringement makes matters worse.

I hope she intends to make an official complaint and persue compensation. I would.

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“For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.” - H. L. Mencken

Hampshire issued 17,000 notices of intended prosicution last year that were not paid. Very few were recieved a summons. (including myself) This story may concern 17,000 drivers in hampshire who may be concerned at ANPR checks.

I moved house between being zapped and getting a nip. I too have my car properly registered and a mortgage.

Could I have a summons for my arrest outstanding? Has any one got Nick Freemans phone number... I might need it

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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

Listening to Jeremy Vine at the mo, and he's been discussing this case. The MAJORITY of listeners phoning in said, more or less, 'They should have thrown the key away!'

bbc news story http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4441922.stm

also this story raises a bigger issue. the police are storing out of date data. they are not disposing of un-neccessary data.
http://www.informationcommissioner.gov. ... spx?id=302

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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

The story is featured on GMTV this morning

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Speed camera policy Kills

Minor? I thought one of the offences was driving more than 30 mph over the posted limit. I also heard she was picked up for speeding again which is how she was arrested. She drives an X5 for a start which hardly makes her a sympathetic victim....

Now another jobsworth one , for parking ---

all 40pence worth

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on