Court summons for speedingTicket

[Wanttohelpbuthow]

ive really messed up here and now am panicking
My husband was caught speeding in my car. Stupidly I somehow didn’t realise the letter was addressed to him after he’d opened it and showed me, so I filled out the form genuinely thinking I was the registered keeper (I’m not).
the next form was addressed to me and I was late send this back due to a hell of a lot going on in my life at the time and be just being overwhelmed and quite frankly stupid. I rang the number and they gave me a 7 day extension and said just send it now and don’t worry.
husband received his form and confirmed he was driving at the time.
we’ve now received a court summons as this whole process has taken beyond the amount of time allowed for police to deal with the matter and I’ve wrongly named myself as the registered keeper/filled out a form addressed to my husband.
In realise this is beyond idiotic but was a genuine mistake. Ive messed up every part of this process and have got into such a state with it. I’m a good person, clean lisence would never do this intentionally.
im panicking now but am told all I can do is wait to hear what the court decide.
How much trouble could I get in?!

No answer but feeling your pain and bumping.
Maybe post in Legal ?

Your husband was driving and is the registered keeper. Why did he even show you the letter? Did he bully you into taking the points?

@DorothyStorm he showed me as it’s “my car” as in the one I drive regularly. He has another car. We thought I was driving but then realised (before filing out any of the forms) that it was one of the very few times he was driving

Was the form you were sent a NIP (notice of intended prosecution)?

And just to be clear I haven’t taken any of the points, I haven’t said I was driving. Just that I was the registered keeper

@Halycon im not sure, it was just a form confirming I was the registered keeper and asking who was driving. I know this is so stupid of me, I genuinely thought I was the registered keeper

This is confusing. So it wasn't your car and you weren't driving but you told them you were? Did he pressure you to take the points? What was the speed that he was doing OP?

I agree probably best in the legal section.

I have no background in law or policing so can only tell you what happened to me in a similar situation.

I was fined twice, a week apart, as I didn't understand the temporary speed restrictions on a stretch of the road (same road!). I filled in the paperwork, accepted the 3 points for each and paid the £100 fine electronically. I posted both of the paper forms back in the same envelope and all I can think of is that they got lost in the post. The fines were refunded and I was told as I didn't send the paperwork back I was to go to court.

On both summons I wrote an explanation of what happened and chose not to attend (on their advice as they said I could just explain). Each case was heard separately - for the first on they accepted the explanation and reverted back to the original offer (3 points, £100 fine). The second, even though an identical explanation was provided and it was clear I had dealt with both at the same time (the fines were originally paid within mins of each other) 4 points and a £1500 fine. When I tried to appeal it's cause they said it wasn't my first offence.

From your post I understand the issue is you didnt meet the timelines (which was why mine went to court) rather than them accusing you of misleading who was driving, and if so, they might just revert back to the original offer if it's the first offence you have.

Sorry if I’ve been unclear.

its “my car” as in it’s the one I drive often. My husband is the registered keeper and was driving at the time of the offence.

i filled out the form stating I was the registered keeper (thinking I was) but stated he was driving.

But you said in the OP that it's your car, so you are the registered keeper? Is it your car or not?

I think what you’re describing is a S172 notice. That’s the form asking who the registered keeper is.

You sent that back, so what was the second form asking? Usually that’s the form that either gives you the fixed penalty notice or tells you you’re going to court.

I’m not the registered keeper. My husband bought the car for me when our 3rd baby was a few
days old as I needed a bigger car to drive the children. I just meant “my car” as in I drive it the most, I’m not the registered keeper. But this is why I thought I was (stupidly).

What speed was he doing, and what was the limit?

Similar happened to me (I’m a lawyer!!). I received a court summons for speeding, after I confirmed I was the registered keeper, but then didn’t get the letter giving me the option to do a speed awareness course or a fine. For the record I was doing 71 on the M1.

I went to court, explained, the magistrates couldn’t have cared less and gave me 3 points and costs (around £250 I think).

I can completely understand you not knowing who the registered keeper was .
We've had our car for years and I didn't even know that the registered keeper is a formal thing and I only found out because I was speaking to the insurance company.
I just thought "oh we bought this years ago from our joint bank account".
I thought a log book - which is no longer a thing - was a book recording work done on the car .

Go to court and explain it all there. Nothing more you can do about it.

Who is the registered keeper on your insurance? You’ll just have to explain, it would be more serious if you’d lied about who was driving, do either of you have points already?

I have no points, my husband has 6 (!!) beleive me I find this awful. He does a lot of long motorway driving, one time was a 34 in a 30 or similar. This time was an average speed check on a motorway that he went too fast through late at night. Not shockingly fast but still unacceptable I know. I can’t remember the exact numbers. Maybe 56 in a 50 average speed check

I agree with PP, go to court and try to explain there. I wish I had as potentially the magistrates would have listened to my explanation about me dealing with both fines paperwork at the same time, and could have avoided a hefty second fine!

My husband is the register keeper. I’ve not lied about who was driving at all, I would have nothing to gain from lying about who the registered keeper was; it was just a genuine mistake. I would never try to deceive anyone

@Adele12345 thank you! Great to hear a personal story, sorry yours didnt end up well though. It’s so hard when it’s a genuine mistake!

@bunnypenny thank you also for sharing your experience!

The first one wasn't too bad...I deserved the 3 points and £100 fine. The second was a bitter pill to swallow!

I think if he’s sitting with 6pts and previous speeding offences, the court will take a dim view when he goes. Serves him right tbh. Hopefully a ban on the way for him.