Police join anti-speed camera website to spy on its members
Discussion
Not sure that this is a surprise, but...
News and Star said:
CUMBRIA Police are monitoring a controversial website being used by speeding motorists trying to evade punishment for their traffic offences.
Pepipoo.com was originally set up in the south of England to offer advice to people across the UK with suggestions of arguments on the grounds of technicalities and legal loopholes they can exploit.
But Cumbria Police has confirmed it scrutinises the website in a bid to raise its successful prosecution rate and make the county’s roads safer.
Details of officers’ work emerged during a case at West Allerdale Magistrates’ Court in Workington.
Steve Callaghan, safety camera manager for Cumbria Police, said: “We scan this website about four or five times a day.
“We will dig up all the evidence we can even if it’s posted on a website.”
He explained how his team can identify Cumbrian offenders on the site by the date and location they were caught speeding. He said: “They try to look for technical loopholes to get off with it.
“We think it is a bit naughty so we have turned it against them.
“A lot of people on this site declare themselves to be experts but they have no training in the use or operation of the speed camera equipment. They are making assumptions that have no technical basis.”
Such is Mr Callaghan’s belief in this method of catching out speeders that he paid for the membership subscription to the site out of his own pocket and it certainly seems to be paying off.
The unlikely aid to policing was revealed after the force used information from the site to build up a successful case against a Great Broughton man who used it in a bid for freedom after being caught by a mobile speed camera doing 90mph on a single carriageway stretch of the A66 near Dubwath in April – where the speed limit is 60mph.
Russell Cockburn, 49, of Broughton Park, changed his plea from not guilty to guilty part way through proceedings at West Allerdale Magistrates’ Court, Workington on Friday.
He was given a six-month driving ban, fined £400 and ordered to pay £600 costs
Cockburn, a member of the First Responders team, had pleaded that losing his licence would cause him financial hardship as a self-employed business consultant – and his family’s sole bread winner – who needed to travel around the country by car.
He added it would make it difficult for him in his charity role to visit people who had suffered heart attacks in remote villages.
But he admitted he could still visit his work clients by public transport at a significant cost to himself.
District Gerald Judge Chalk said: “Although I accept it would cause you hardship, I do not believe it will cause you exceptional hardship.”
Outside the court, Mr Callaghan said that he was satisfied with the way the case had worked out and proved the continued success of this unorthodox approach to policing road safety.
He added: “I think he [Cockburn[ was told by his web friends that if he got to a certain stage in the trial to plead guilty and plead mitigation to minimise the damage.
“The best way to avoid coming into conflict with the cameras is to drive safely within the speed limits and don’t flout them.”
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=511180 Pepipoo.com was originally set up in the south of England to offer advice to people across the UK with suggestions of arguments on the grounds of technicalities and legal loopholes they can exploit.
But Cumbria Police has confirmed it scrutinises the website in a bid to raise its successful prosecution rate and make the county’s roads safer.
Details of officers’ work emerged during a case at West Allerdale Magistrates’ Court in Workington.
Steve Callaghan, safety camera manager for Cumbria Police, said: “We scan this website about four or five times a day.
“We will dig up all the evidence we can even if it’s posted on a website.”
He explained how his team can identify Cumbrian offenders on the site by the date and location they were caught speeding. He said: “They try to look for technical loopholes to get off with it.
“We think it is a bit naughty so we have turned it against them.
“A lot of people on this site declare themselves to be experts but they have no training in the use or operation of the speed camera equipment. They are making assumptions that have no technical basis.”
Such is Mr Callaghan’s belief in this method of catching out speeders that he paid for the membership subscription to the site out of his own pocket and it certainly seems to be paying off.
The unlikely aid to policing was revealed after the force used information from the site to build up a successful case against a Great Broughton man who used it in a bid for freedom after being caught by a mobile speed camera doing 90mph on a single carriageway stretch of the A66 near Dubwath in April – where the speed limit is 60mph.
Russell Cockburn, 49, of Broughton Park, changed his plea from not guilty to guilty part way through proceedings at West Allerdale Magistrates’ Court, Workington on Friday.
He was given a six-month driving ban, fined £400 and ordered to pay £600 costs
Cockburn, a member of the First Responders team, had pleaded that losing his licence would cause him financial hardship as a self-employed business consultant – and his family’s sole bread winner – who needed to travel around the country by car.
He added it would make it difficult for him in his charity role to visit people who had suffered heart attacks in remote villages.
But he admitted he could still visit his work clients by public transport at a significant cost to himself.
District Gerald Judge Chalk said: “Although I accept it would cause you hardship, I do not believe it will cause you exceptional hardship.”
Outside the court, Mr Callaghan said that he was satisfied with the way the case had worked out and proved the continued success of this unorthodox approach to policing road safety.
He added: “I think he [Cockburn[ was told by his web friends that if he got to a certain stage in the trial to plead guilty and plead mitigation to minimise the damage.
“The best way to avoid coming into conflict with the cameras is to drive safely within the speed limits and don’t flout them.”
adr790 said:
Outside the court, Mr Callaghan said that he was satisfied with the way the case had worked out and proved the continued success of this unorthodox approach to policing road safety.
Success in generating funds maybe - success in road safety? I'd be laughing if it wasn't so serious.How many more deaths this year compared to last year then Mr Callaghan?!
Cumbria Police said:
… has confirmed it scrutinises the website in a bid to raise its successful prosecution rate and make the county’s roads safer.
While I can understand how catching speeding motorists would "raise its successful prosecution rate" I fail to see how this would "make the county’s roads safer". Perhaps the Cumbria Police person who (I’m sure) also monitors this site would care to comment?
So the sneaky weasels have nothing better to do than scan a website 4 or so times every day. So that's several people doing this...how much taxpayers' money is being frittered by engaging in this petty-minded, spiteful activity? Over the last few years, this government's entire philospohy has been to encourage the employment of sad people with no proper job, people whose sole purpose is to monitor and generally bother others with their intrusive ways. What job would they do otherwise I wonder?
black-k1 said:
Cumbria Police said:
… has confirmed it scrutinises the website in a bid to raise its successful prosecution rate and make the county’s roads safer.
While I can understand how catching speeding motorists would "raise its successful prosecution rate" I fail to see how this would "make the county’s roads safer". Perhaps the Cumbria Police person who (I’m sure) also monitors this site would care to comment?Lostusernamedamn said:
So the sneaky weasels have nothing better to do than scan a website 4 or so times every day. So that's several people doing this...how much taxpayers' money is being frittered by engaging in this petty-minded, spiteful activity? Over the last few years, this government's entire philospohy has been to encourage the employment of sad people with no proper job, people whose sole purpose is to monitor and generally bother others with their intrusive ways. What job would they do otherwise I wonder?
It keeps them off the unemployed list, so for the Gov. that's "Job Done"....Lostusernamedamn said:
......how much taxpayers' money is being frittered by engaging in this petty-minded, spiteful activity? Over the last few years, this government's entire philospohy has been to encourage the employment of sad people with no proper job, people whose sole purpose is to work for HMRC
I am glad they read these websites, I got a speeding fine on the 30th of feburary this year by saying it was my girlfriend driving in Cumbria. Dont care if they catch me. 
At least these parasites can see what everyone thinks of them. Hope Callaghan is happy, he has potentially lost someone his job, put people's lives at risk that he cares for, oh, and seems as the roads are no safer because he and his idiot merry men only take money from speeders and do nothing towards road safety, he is literally killing people on a weekly basis. How can they sleep at night?
At least these parasites can see what everyone thinks of them. Hope Callaghan is happy, he has potentially lost someone his job, put people's lives at risk that he cares for, oh, and seems as the roads are no safer because he and his idiot merry men only take money from speeders and do nothing towards road safety, he is literally killing people on a weekly basis. How can they sleep at night?
delta2 said:
Trax said:
How can they sleep at night?
Thats easy, he's got no morality. - Complete lack of common sense;
- Lack of understanding or care about the true 'drivers' (in the statistical/business use of the term) which underly their area of influence, namely road-safety;
- Unhealthy desire for power;
- Ability to ignore 'inconvenient truths' (sic);
- A desire for results over and above 'justice' (which doesn't equal 'punishment').
Sadly, that seems to be a common list of traits for those in senior public service. The system is breeding overly-political sycophants who're excessively target-focused not results-focused.
- Streakyhavoc said:
delta2 said:
Trax said:
How can they sleep at night?
Thats easy, he's got no morality. - Complete lack of common sense;
- Lack of understanding or care about the true 'drivers' (in the statistical/business use of the term) which underly their area of influence, namely road-safety;
- Unhealthy desire for power;
- Ability to ignore 'inconvenient truths' (sic);
- A desire for results over and above 'justice' (which doesn't equal 'punishment').
Sadly, that seems to be a common list of traits for those in senior public service. The system is breeding overly-political sycophants who're excessively target-focused not results-focused.
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