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Original poster

Disputed Speeding Offence

23 replies

JuJuMoo · 11/01/2006 14:17

Hi all :-)

Apologies if this has been raised before. Hubby has a letter this morning from Thames Valley Police stating this his car has been speeding at 38mph on a restricted 30mph road (manned) in an area of the country some 250 miles away - that we have never been to!

Nobody else has use of the car, and at the time of the offence, hubby was safely tucked up in bed after his nightshift, and I was at home with him!

It was definately not him, or me, and I'm guessing there has been some mistake. I have written to them disputing the allegation and have asked to see photographic evidence. No phone number on the letter (notice of intended prosecution!) so I can't ring them.

Has anyone else had this happen? Will the police send us the evidence - piccies? or will the whole thing have to go to court? How could this have happened! Arrghhh, anyway, I'm annoyed about it!

Any advice? As always, thanks :-)

OP posts:

Janh · 11/01/2006 14:20

Yes, this has happened to at least one person on here, jujumoo - it'll be a cloned number plate - it happens quite a lot apparently.

If there was a phone no. you'd just get one of those irritating options messages anyway, not a human. Your letter should sort it. (I'll see if I can find other thread about it.)

LadySherlockofLGJ · 11/01/2006 14:20

You need Cod for this, and she is on a Magistrates course today IIRC.

Try bumping this around 5.00 ish.

What time did DH's shift finish ??

What time did the offence occur ??

Janh · 11/01/2006 14:24

It's here . The op got an apology in response to her letter (but no explanation...)

HTH

Original poster

JuJuMoo · 11/01/2006 14:33

Hi, thanks for the replies - hopefully my letter should sort it out. Hubby got home at 6.30am in the morning (was working all night) and alleged incident happened at 9.45am - but seriously, in High Wycombe, and we live in Huddersfield!

I read the other thread, thanks, but I'm worried about the cloned plate being on a cloned car that looks identical to ours - how would the police know that that really wasn't our car and that we were at home? Probably being paranoid though!

It was quick to come through - the 'incident' took place on Thursday 5th Jan and got the letter this morning, less than a week later!

Cheers everyone

OP posts:

Janh · 11/01/2006 22:06

Cloned cars do look identical - that's the point! So if the police look up a registration and it says, eg, black Golf, it has to be a black Golf or they'll get pulled over.

If your DH was at work in Huddersfield all night and home at 6.30am then he has a sound alibi for 9.45am in High Wycombe. What (if anything) is being done about cloned plates god knows. The law is relying on computer databases - rather than observation - to keep track of unlicensed uninsured cars but these are outside the system

codnotamod · 11/01/2006 22:09

right you must deffo keep in youch otherwise theyll give you a " failure to provide id" thing which ahs a far hgihger fine level etc.

they are often reluctant to giev pics which often dont show much

go to court adbn keep corresponding deffo sent he form ( NIP)back wiht coevring letter if necc

codnotamod · 11/01/2006 22:10

you may well ahdv to go to coirt to sesplain but dont worry we see alot fo these

try adn get evidence that you wer elsewhere - credit card statements etc

VeniVidiVickiQV · 11/01/2006 22:16

I had a car with my number plate cloned. Each time i got a speed camera ticket come through i had to post photos of my car off so they could compare. They would then subsequently cancel the ticket. (although it was same make model and colour there were clear differences apparently)

Same with unpaid parking fines - had to send a copy of my tax disc off each time. There was little else i or the police could do. In reality there is little they can do (resources and practicalities) unless you have actually seen the other car with the cloned plate on.

Mine clone was eventually used in a ballsed up armed robbery (tiny little corsa!) and it was cleared up that way - the police had kept some records of my regular complaints to them about sorting it

edam · 11/01/2006 22:17

Hope this gets sorted out soon Juju, must be very worrying.

Just to add to Janh's point about uninsured drivers ? I was run over by one. Had his details. He even phoned my colleagues to try and persuade me into an insurance fiddle (while I was off, injured). Police did nothing about it. I was amazed that they were so uninterested. This was the Met, btw, I hope some other forces out there do actually give a toss about uninsured dangerous drivers.

Janh · 11/01/2006 22:29

Ohhh, forgot that about parking tickets and tax discs - always keep your old tax discs (I always put the new one in front of the old one in the holder anyway, but I am a pack rat). If there is a disputed parking ticket your tax disc will prove that it wasn't you (if it wasn't). If you haven't got your old disc you will struggle to prove it was another car (the discs have a serial number I think?)

Janh · 11/01/2006 22:31

Good grief, edam, I hadn't read your post. I can't believe the police didn't pursue it when you had his details

How injured were you? What a bastard!

codnotamod · 11/01/2006 22:32

she went from edam to philly

Janh · 11/01/2006 22:40

Go on then, cod - what is The Law doing about cloned plates if JPs are seeing them all the tme?

Callmemadam · 11/01/2006 23:43

I am also a magistrate - little or no cloned plates cases get to court down my way in several years: however,my advice is not to panic, allow it to go to court if it has to, and plead not guilty. Take evidence (if you can) of where you both were at the time (!). If the police don't drop it first (and sending a photo of your car is a good idea IMO) the Crown Prosecution Service should review their evidence on file at what is called a pre trial review, and work out that they haven't got a hope of a conviction. Whatever you do, don't panic about it; keep in touch, reply to all correspondence, but just let the process take its course once you have returned the form saying not guilty to the offence. HTH

jessicaandrebeccasmummy · 11/01/2006 23:50

surely DH's work will be able to certify he was on a night shift?!

No way hudderfield - high wycombe in such a short amount of time!

codnotamod · 12/01/2006 08:01

really?
no cloned plates?
hmmw e haev a lot of speed camera here thoguh ( mayeb too much!)

codnotamod · 12/01/2006 08:02

is that gill?
if it is HI!!!

Callmemadam · 12/01/2006 19:43

Scary,Cod, how did you know?

LadySherlockofLGJ · 12/01/2006 19:44

They don't call her scary for nowt.

codnotamod · 12/01/2006 20:28

i remember you being really ncie when i had my interview.

Callmemadam · 12/01/2006 23:51

Blimey! I went off line for a while so must have missed the appointment! Bit late to say congrats but have'em anyway! Any Panels yet?

Original poster

JuJuMoo · 16/01/2006 20:53

Hi everyone, I've taken some piccies of the car and written a letter reconfirming that it was certainly not us, so we shall wait and see, I will keep you posted. Was worried slightly that ~our~ car might be the cloned one but the chassis numbers match up which I think is a good thing phew :-)

OP posts:

Original poster

JuJuMoo · 13/02/2006 19:45

Got a letter last week explaining their had been an error to the recording equiptment and they are sorry for causing concern! Prpblem solved! Thanks guys :-)

OP posts:

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