This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/5340846.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Police target driving 'loopholes' | Police target driving 'loopholes' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Reckless drivers who use legal loopholes to avoid conviction are being targeted in a new police initiative. | Reckless drivers who use legal loopholes to avoid conviction are being targeted in a new police initiative. |
| The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) is training police and CPS lawyers to make stronger cases. | The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) is training police and CPS lawyers to make stronger cases. |
| Police are frustrated that lawyers well versed in motoring laws are using small print to win acquittals for those charged with reckless or drink-driving. | Police are frustrated that lawyers well versed in motoring laws are using small print to win acquittals for those charged with reckless or drink-driving. |
| Acpo is also introducing a team made up of a lawyer and a former police officer to help prosecute speed camera cases. | Acpo is also introducing a team made up of a lawyer and a former police officer to help prosecute speed camera cases. |
| The association hopes motorists will avoid contesting their speeding charge because if they lose, their costs will include up to £4,000 for the cost of the team. | The association hopes motorists will avoid contesting their speeding charge because if they lose, their costs will include up to £4,000 for the cost of the team. |
| There have been a number of cases where people feel that justice has not been done Meredydd HughesSouth Yorkshire Police | There have been a number of cases where people feel that justice has not been done Meredydd HughesSouth Yorkshire Police |
| Meredydd Hughes, the chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, said officers were becoming increasingly frustrated with lawyers who used legal small print to help win acquittals for clients. | Meredydd Hughes, the chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, said officers were becoming increasingly frustrated with lawyers who used legal small print to help win acquittals for clients. |
| "There have been a number of cases where people feel that justice has not been done, both in the drink-driving world and in other cases where people have evaded the law having driven cars recklessly and at very high speeds," he said. | "There have been a number of cases where people feel that justice has not been done, both in the drink-driving world and in other cases where people have evaded the law having driven cars recklessly and at very high speeds," he said. |
| Celebrity acquittals | Celebrity acquittals |
| "I think my colleagues in the roads policing groups will share my anger when people are unjustly acquitted and I'm sure they'll be looking for those drivers. | "I think my colleagues in the roads policing groups will share my anger when people are unjustly acquitted and I'm sure they'll be looking for those drivers. |
| "And if they haven't mended their ways we have an attitude in the police service that we'll see them again sometime." | "And if they haven't mended their ways we have an attitude in the police service that we'll see them again sometime." |
| Lawyer Nick Freeman, dubbed "Mr Loophole" owing to his talent for finding unusual technical defences, said it was "disgraceful" that culprits could escape punishment on minor technicalities. | |
| He told BBC News: "For certain people who may have been involved in a serious road traffic accident, the person who has caused that accident is arrested, he's processed by the police, the police make a mistake, get it wrong and that person walks away. | |
| The chief constable [Meredydd Hughes] seems to be being a bit vague as to exactly what he's saying in these cases James Welch, Liberty | |
| "From a moral standpoint, there's absolutely no justice in that situation." | |
| Mr Freeman says he abhors drink drivers but that his job is still to defend his clients. | |
| Campaign group Liberty raised concerns that police may unlawfully target individuals who they believe have been unfairly acquitted of motoring offences. | Campaign group Liberty raised concerns that police may unlawfully target individuals who they believe have been unfairly acquitted of motoring offences. |
| There have been some high-profile examples of people avoiding punishment for driving offences, including cases where couples have argued that they could not remember who had been driving at the time. | There have been some high-profile examples of people avoiding punishment for driving offences, including cases where couples have argued that they could not remember who had been driving at the time. |
| Liberty spokesman James Welch told BBC News: "The chief constable [Meredydd Hughes] seems to be being a bit vague as to exactly what he's saying in these cases. | |
| "If he is suggesting that police officers are going to target people they consider have been unjustly acquitted - meaning they are going to stop them on a number of occasions when they don't have a good reason - then that should be wrong in principle and probably is almost certainly illegal as well." |