Good solicitor for slightly tricky speeding case in London?

[teawamutu]

Have posted this in Legal but its v quiet, so adding here for traffic.

Family member moved to a different country a year ago and has since found out there was a speeding offence in her car (although she likely wasn't driving) right before she left.

The papers finally reached her and she's charged with failing to give information as well as speeding, which would mean a possible ban.

Can anyone recommend a good solicitor who can give her some good advice and get to London for a hearing?

Tia.

Professionally I have worked with Ashfords and JMW on driving cases for failing to provide information, but not personally so I don't know how good they are from that side.

Legally it won't be that tricky, there are very few valid defences to this offence. If she updated her address with everyone relevant and the paperwork wasn't received, and she can prove that, she will be found not guilty. If she didn't; she'll likely struggle. Most of the other valid defences are around something going wrong once you have replied, which isn't the case here.

Has she now volunteered the information of who was driving?

My dp was charged with this recently. He had got the initial letter and hadn't replied to it (no real excuse, it arrived during a time he was having a bad period with his chronic illness and just forgot about it, and there was no reminder letter).

As soon as he got the letter he admitted guilt. He got 3 points and a £180 fine. I think if he had tried to fight it he would have got more points.

Failure to furnish driver details is the more serious, as courts wonder what was so terrible that driver details were not provided for a simple speeding offence. The driver is rather immaterial at this stage, even if it can be proven the registered keeper wasn't driving. A ban is very much a possibility.

There are numerous motoring solicitors on Pepipoo (forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=5). I'd highly suggest posting there. This won't just disappear.

If you still want a recommendation legally,

• Robert Dobson, at Pryce Woodrow
Pryce Woodroww_
8, 12 Cedar Road,
Sutton,
Surry,
SM2 5DA

Tel: 0208 77096099_
Mobile: 07718 7500022_

Finally, being dual charged is a good thing. Your relative doesn't need a solicitor for this. Turn up to court on the day, and offer to plea bargain (to plead guilty to speeding if they will drop the failure to furnish). However, it is possible to walk out with penalties for both, and is being seen more frequently since 2017. So nine points instead of three (depending on speed/limit).

Thanks all - i think in all the kerfuffle of moving countries she just didn't change the details before the speeding paperwork went out. The court has accepted the move as the reason for failing to attend (think she had to make a statutory declaration) so she was confused when the failing to give information came up again. Trying to arrange a court date now.

The court has accepted the move as the reason for failing to attend (think she had to make a statutory declaration) so she was confused when the failing to give information came up again.

They may well accept that was the reason for her failing to attend; but the failing to give information is a separate offence.

Doing a statutory declaration for the speeding offence itself may well mean she has to plead guilty for the second offence, as she'd have given evidence that implicates herself. I'd advise her to get legal advice before she does that.