VICTORY OVER SPEED CAMERAS
A TRUCKER who was told he had been caught on camera speeding has won a six month battle to prove his innocence.
Alan Bird was nowhere near Grantham when police claimed they had clocked him doing 52mph in a 40mph zone on the A52 in October.
The first thing he knew of the charge was when he received a 'notice of intended prosecution' in December, and that is when his fight began.
Being a lorry driver the 59-year-old, of Empingham Road, Stamford, had a record of his route on the day in question.
He said: "They stated they had photographic evidence to support their allegation, but it is difficult to remember where you were at a
specific time two months earlier.
"However, as I am a truck driver, I keep a record of the vehicle I have driven and where I was driving.
"My record showed I had indeed been driving the specified tractor unit, but my route would not have taken me anywhere near Grantham at that time.
"To be certain my records and recollections were correct, before denying any connection with the alleged offence, I decided to ask for clarification."
But Mr Bird was told to fill in the form and if he wanted to deny the offence he would have his day in court.
Instead the trucker continued to ask the police to see the photographic evidence, but all he received was another copy of the notice of intended prosecution.
Pleading not guilty by post, six months later Mr Bird arrived at Lincoln Magistrates' Court last month.
He said: "My solicitor told the prosecution without the photographic evidence the police claimed to have there was no case against me.
"Apparently the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) had also been asking Lincolnshire Police for evidence of my crime, and had not received anything back either."
No photographic evidence was produced and the case against Mr Bird was dropped.
But he added: "How many people, on receipt of a speeding ticket, automatically assume they must be guilty and send off their cheque and their licence?"
Pc Lee Thompson of Lincolnshire Police could not explain why the photographic evidence failed to materialise, but admitted identity mistakes were sometimes made.
He added: "In any eventuality what people must do when they receive a 'notice of intended prosecution' is fill it in.
"You have 28 days to reply and if you don't reply, regardless of whether you are innocent or not, you are committing a separate offence of not filling in the form."
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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