Tetra Pak heir Hans Rausing avoids jail over failing to bury wife Eva – The Independent

“Hans Rausing, one of Britain’s richest men, avoided a jail sentence today after he admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of his wife Eva’s body.”

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The Independent, 1st August 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Drug driving law will hit medicine users – The Independent

Posted July 30th, 2012 in drug abuse, medicines, news, road traffic offences by sally

“Motorists using prescribed painkillers such as morphine and codeine could be charged with ‘drug driving’ under a new law designed to keep dangerous hard drug users off British roads, doctors and campaigners have warned.”

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The Independent, 29th July 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High Court criticises Mr Loophole for ‘sharp practice’ in speeding case – The Independent

Posted July 23rd, 2012 in courts, news, road traffic offences, solicitors by tracey

” The man known as Mr Loophole – one of the country’s highest-profile lawyers – has been condemned for ‘sharp practice’ by the High Court.”

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The Independent, 21st July 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Drink drive actress cleared of drink driving on technicality – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 18th, 2012 in alcohol abuse, drunk in charge, news, road traffic offences by tracey

“Anna Parker, 50, the wife of actor Nathaniel Parker who plays Inspector Lynley in the BBC crime drama series, was cleared by a judge who told her she had ‘got away with it’  because she had faced the wrong charge.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th July 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

John Worboys victims in damages case setback – BBC News

“Victims of black cab rapist John Worboys have lost a crucial step in their High Court battle for damages.”

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BBC News, 25th June 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fixed penalty fines for traffic offences could rise 50% to £90 – The Guardian

Posted June 15th, 2012 in fines, news, penalties, road traffic offences by sally

“Fines for breaking the rules of the road could be increased from £60 to £90 under government plans that have been sent out for consultation.”

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The Guardian, 14th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Suffer Little Children – Zenith Chambers

“On 24 February, the Court of Appeal delivered its judgment in the joined appeals of Dockerill & Healey -v- Tullett, Macefield -v- Bakos and Tubridy -v- Sarwar. The decision may have a significant impact on whether claimant solicitors continue to represent children in personal injury claims where likely damages will be less than £1,000.”

Full story (PDF)

Zenith Chambers, 10th May 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Biting back: Mr Loophole makes his case – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 23rd, 2012 in dangerous driving, news, road traffic offences, solicitors by sally

“Nick Freeman, whose knack for getting celebrity clients off driving charges earned him the nickname Mr Loophole, is unapologetic about defending the seemingly indefensible.”

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Daily Telegraph, 21st April 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Curbs planned on motorists who abuse prescription drugs – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 10th, 2012 in drug abuse, medicines, news, road traffic offences, sentencing by sally

“Motorists who get behind the wheel while impaired by prescribed drugs will face prosecution under new laws to be unveiled by ministers next month.”

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Daily Telegraph, 10th April 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

There but for the grace of God? : a consideration of recent fatal road traffic cases – Zenith Chambers

“Since 18th August 2008 there has been an offence on the statute books which effectively criminalises what in many cases amount to little more than minor errors of judgement; this offence carries with it the prospect of the alleged offender being sent to prison for anything up to five years. Section 2B of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (inserted by the Road Safety Act 2006) introduced motorists to the offence of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving. It was undoubtedly enacted because of increased public (and tabloid) disquiet about the previous alternative to the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving (s1 RTA 1988); this was, of course, the much less serious charge of careless and inconsiderate driving (s3 RTA 1988), which carried only a financial penalty and a discretionary disqualification from driving. Since the implementation of s2B RTA 1988, however, the prosecuting authorities have become increasingly keen to charge drivers with this offence; indeed, matters now appear to have reached the point where their default position seems to be that simply because a fatality arises from a road traffic collision, then a prosecution must follow, irrespective of where the fault for the collision lies. The exercise of any proper judgement as to whether it is in the public interest to pursue a prosecution in
many such cases seems to have completely evaporated.”

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Zenith Chambers, 27th March 2012

Source: www.zenithchambers.co.uk

Speeding penalty point dodgers face prison, police warn – BBC News

Posted March 19th, 2012 in news, police, prosecutions, road traffic offences, speed cameras by sally

“Police are prosecuting growing numbers of criminals who help motorists dodge speeding penalty points.”

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BBC News, 18th March 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina v Meeking – WLR Daily

Posted March 7th, 2012 in appeals, homicide, law reports, road traffic offences by sally

Regina v Meeking [2012] WLR (D) 60

Interference with a motor vehicle contrary to section 22A(1)(b) of the Road Traffic Act 1988, included acts done while the vehicle was being driven which did not have to be external to the vehicle.

WLR Daily, 29th February 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Speeding biker Keith Darch jailed for trying to avoid prosecution – BBC News

“A motorcyclist who did 84mph in a 30mph zone has been jailed for 18 weeks after trying to avoid a speeding offence by claiming he had sold his bike.”

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BBC News, 29th February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ex-Norwich striker Leon McKenzie jailed for bogus letters to police – The Guardian

“The former Norwich City striker Leon McKenzie has been jailed for sending bogus letters to the police in a bid to avoid a driving ban.”

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The Guardian, 21st February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Statement by Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC on the case of Mr C Huhne and Ms V Pryce – Crown Prosecution Service

“This statement is made by the Crown Prosecution Service in the interests of transparency and accountability to explain the decisions reached in the cases of Mr Christopher Huhne and Ms Vasiliki Pryce and to explain the time taken in arriving at these decisions.”

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Crown Prosecution Service, 3rd February 2012

Source: http://blog.cps.gov.uk

Motorists to be hit with £100 speeding fines to support victims – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 30th, 2012 in fines, news, road traffic offences, victims by sally

“Motorists face a huge hike in speeding fines to as much as £100 to help fill a funding gap for victims of crime, Kenneth Clarke has disclosed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 30th January 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Man charged with ‘drink-driving’ mobility scooter is let off – The Guardian

Posted January 19th, 2012 in alcohol abuse, disabled persons, news, road traffic offences by sally

“A man accused of drink-driving after being caught more than four times the alcohol limit while riding his mobility scooter has been let off because his vehicle was too small to be classed as a road vehicle.”

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The Guardian, 19th January 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge publicly reprimanded over driving ban – The Guardian

Posted January 16th, 2012 in judges, news, professional conduct, road traffic offences by sally

“One of Britain’s most senior appeal court judges has been publicly reprimanded for receiving a driving ban and failing to inform judicial authorities that he was facing traffic offences.”

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The Guardian, 13th January 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Motoring offences scam man Colin Lowndes jailed – BBC News

“A man who masterminded a nationwide scam to help drivers escape motoring convictions has been jailed. Colin Lowndes, 41, of Hattersley, Greater Manchester, helped more than 700 motorists avoid penalty points for speeding and other driving offences.”

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BBC  News, 7th January 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Courts to sit in evening to ease pressure on justice system – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 23rd, 2011 in courts, Crown Prosecution Service, news, road traffic offences by sally

“Magistrates courts could hold evening sittings to ease the pressure on the justice system, the head of the Crown Prosecution Service has said.”

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd November 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk