Motorist is banned over speed trap alert
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Motorist is banned over speed trap alert
By Stewart Payne
(Filed: 03/06/2004)
A pensioner who warned motorists of a police speed trap was convicted of wilfully obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty, banned from driving and ordered to pay £364 costs yesterday.
Stuart Harding, 71, was attempting to slow motorists down as they approached a Sunday morning car boot sale where many people were crossing the road.
Noticing that police were parked nearby with an officer using a hand-held laser speed camera, he decided that a warning stating "Speed Trap - 300 yards ahead" would be the most effective way of getting drivers to reduce their speed. But as soon as the officers noticed his placard he was cautioned for committing an offence.
Harding, a retired instrument maker, who appeared before magistrates in Aldershot, Hants, yesterday, had pleaded not guilty to the charge. He said: "I have been convicted of breaking the law because I was trying to stop others from doing so. It is totally unjust."
Harding said he had stood at the same spot, on the A325 at Farnborough, on previous Sundays warning drivers of the car boot sale, and had received a thumbs-up sign from a passing police car. But the attitude of officers changed when he warned drivers of the speed camera.
Robert Manley, prosecuting, said: "In displaying this sign the defendant was giving motorists advanced warning of a road safety camera being operated by the police 300 yards further along the road."
He said the intention was that any motorist contravening road traffic regulations by driving at excessive speed would avoid doing so having been given notice of what the police were doing.
Sgt Sarah Cashman told the court that when she cautioned Harding and confiscated the sign he told her: "I stop people speeding down here. I am only doing what I think is right".
Asked if he knew there was a speed camera ahead he said: "Yes, that is why I am doing it".
Alex Wyman, the presiding magistrate, told Harding: "The use of the sign was a deliberate and intentional act and by use of the words 'speed trap' you were assisting speeding motorists from being prosecuted."
After his conviction Harding told the magistrates he planned to appeal, adding that he needed his car to drive to church and that he was due to take his wife and friends on holiday in a camper van.
The clerk of the court pointed out to magistrates that unless the ban was suspended it would have run its course before the appeal was heard. But they ordered it should take immediate effect.
The court also confiscated Harding's sign and ordered it to be destroyed.
After the case he said that he had been told that fines collected from speeding motorists on that stretch of the road had netted £12,000 in one morning alone.
"It seems to be more about raising revenue than road safety. I'm just so angry and upset about the driving ban. It was totally uncalled for because this wasn't a motoring offence," he said.
FourWheelDrift said:
Do you have a URL link for this story too?
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;sessionid=QPTDTLQTFGWPPQFIQMFSM5OAVCBQ0JVC?xml=/news/2004/06/03/ncam03.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/06/03/ixportal.html
I've just heard back from the Telegraph. They've spoken to Stuart Harding and he isn't planning on making an appeal because his ban will have expired by the time the hearing is, er, heard.
The journalist didn't think to ask him about payment of the fine, so I've suggested he go back to Stuart and offer this, together with a request for a charity of his choice to send the balance.
The journalist didn't think to ask him about payment of the fine, so I've suggested he go back to Stuart and offer this, together with a request for a charity of his choice to send the balance.
marlboro said:
Cheers for the update Ted. Will wait for Mon Ami to spread the word....
The truth is that the journalist felt that Mr Harding really just wanted to put the whole thing behind him and clearly wasn't keen to go back to him again. If/when I hear anything else I'll post an update immediately.
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