JAILED for 125mph on a bike?

[aww999]

I was reading the latest issue of the ABD newsletter the other day, there was a smnall story about a policeman who was jailed for three months for doing 125mph down a motorway on his bike. Anyone have any more info on this story? I didn't think it was possible to be jailed for simply exceeding the speed limit, the whole idea is preposterous!

[lucozade]

I read that very same story this morning. I did seem odd that he got jailed. Surely there must be more to it, i.e. dangerous driving, etc?

[swilly]

Remember, if your caught speeding at these types of speed make sure you have a handy bag bursting full of stolen swag on it as your guaranteed a slap on the wrist and a holiday in the med. to make up for your difficult childhood.

[plotloss]

Cant gross speeding be interpreted as dangerous driving by our wonderful judiciary system?

Matt.

[tallchris99]

Perhaps there was a bit more to it than meets the eye?

Find a link to the facts before making too many assumptions.

[Size Nine Elm]

It was deemed to be dangerous driving, although based entirely on the speed.

There was a similar case (not police) last year of a biker who had a video camera on his bike, and who was sentenced to a year

Edited to add: it would appear he also failed to stop:

Policeman jailed after outrunning a patrol car on his speeding motorcycle

LONDON (AP) ---- An off-duty policeman who was caught riding his motorcycle at more than 125 mph on a highway was jailed Tuesday for three months.

Thomas Cunningham, 37, was speeding toward Liveral in northern England when spotted by a police patrol car last July. The car followed Cunningham at speeds of more than 125 mph. The speed limit was 70 mph.

Cunningham was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday of dangerous driving and jailed. He also was banned from driving for three years, meaning it could be difficult for him to do his job if he returns to work as a policeman.

>> Edited by Size Nine Elm on Thursday 10th April 12:18

[Alan420]

That's still insane.

He hurt nobody, just broke an arbitary limit and for that he looses his freedom. For those that say 'yes but he could have hurt someone' who cares!?!?!?

Forget guilty until proven innocent, this guy didn't even commit a crime!

(well, obviously he did, but he sure didn't leave a trail of victims did he???)

[apache]

Ah but he could have,

This is the idiotic argument used by the anti's

Regardless of wether he was speeding down an open stretch of motorway or in a 30 zone

[spaximus]

This is insanity! Yes the guy might be a plank if he tried to out run the patrol car but what a punishment. Here is a highly trained police officer who by now will have been rogered silly or worse. There appears no suggestion he was a bad cop yet he will undoubtedly loose his job, so the cost of keeping him £300 per day plus the cost of all the training lost to society and the harm it will have done to local morale in the force is way beyond any calculation. It would have been much better to give him community service on road safety perhaps but no. I suspect someone high wanted to send a message out to joe public along the lines of look what we do to our own so you will be in deep deep shit if we catch you.

[CarZee]

IMO the bizzarest thing is that he wasn't able to outrun & escape the pursuing vehicle..

Obviously not a police trained rider...

[apache]

mebbe they had a 'bear in the air'

[swilly]

apache said: Ah but he could have,

This is the idiotic argument used by the anti's

Regardless of wether he was speeding down an open stretch of motorway or in a 30 zone

Hmmmmmm similarly any burglar/mugger/robber etc could attack/injure their victims but this is ignored by the courts and even more so now the Government are effectively handing out "Get out of jail" cards to scrotes who commit these crimes.

Motorists really are villified in this country.

I've just printed off an ABD membership application form. Gonna get off my arse.

[dick dastardly]

I read a story the other day about a kid who was selling dodgy ecstasy tabs, one of which killed someone, and he got the same time in jail.

This is absolute madness! How can someone who (1) deals drugs, (2) deals dodgy drugs, and (3) aids in the death of someone be seen as just as bad as a policeman (who more likely than not knew what he was doing was dangerous but got a little carried away and was probably trained to advanced driving)?

This is a joke. If he killed someone fine, throw the book at him, but as it stands, no way. Once again I am disgusted with the legal system in this country.

[madcop]

Size Nine Elm said: Cunningham was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday of dangerous driving and jailed. He also was banned from driving for three years, meaning it could be difficult for him to do his job if he returns to work as a policeman.

>> Edited by Size Nine Elm on Thursday 10th April 12:18

He will not be returning to do his job at all. Time in prison is immediate dismissal from the service, loss of pension and anything else that is derived from being a Police officer.

[cazzo]

Maybe I'm looking at this wrongly but;

1. If he'd been on Police duty would this speed have been OK?

2. He may well have posed a danger to others, I don't know the full details...but if a 200kg bike @ 125mph was a danger then surely a 1.5 ton car chasing him @ 125mph + was more dangerous.



>> Edited by cazzo on Thursday 10th April 19:01

[whatever]

apache said: mebbe they had a 'bear in the air'

Better than a 'bat in the cave'

[cpearson]

i agree that the punishment is harsh especially concidering all the loses in pension etc, etc...
but what a plonker to try (and fail)to out run the police-they must have used a helicopter,thus the case must have been reasonably lengthy.
was the verdict of dangerous driving for the speed alone and the attempt to evade capture catagoried as another sentence. or is dangerous driving inclusive of both acts?

[apache]

whatever said:

apache said: mebbe they had a 'bear in the air'

Better than a 'bat in the cave'

?

[HarryW]

madcop said:
He will not be returning to do his job at all. Time in prison is immediate dismissal from the service, loss of pension and anything else that is derived from being a Police officer.

Slightly off topic but the loss of a pension , this has always puzzled me same goes for those in the services.
He has obviously contributed say 10% of his salary over 'x' years, it seems a tad strong to me to lose it for this or any offence for that matter.
Has this practice ever been challenged in the courts as shirley up until the day he fcuked up it was safe and he should at least have those benefits already earned frozen until state retirement age.
Worse case I would have thought that he could claim back his contributions plus any accrude interest even if the employers element was not paid to him, which I think it should be. ( H's golden rule of personal management: don't fcuk with peoples wages and or holiday time off )
What say thee madcop .
As another aside I see they ('they' being the great and the good at neu labia spin central )are now considering not sending muggers to jail now , puts it all into perspective doesn't it

Harry

[madcop]

HarryW said:

Slightly off topic but the loss of a pension ,

Worse case I would have thought that he could claim back his contributions plus any accrude interest even if the employers element was not paid to him, which I think it should be.

What say thee madcop .


Harry

I think in cases where the officer is dismissed from service, they are entitled to receive contributions back. The amount paid into the pension scheme within the Police is 11% of salary.

Sanctions against errant Police officers are variable and at the discretion of the Chief Officer. To be required to resign as alternative to dismissal which is another string to the Chief's bow allows the affected officer to keep the pension up to the point he/she has paid in to it. In this case pension benefits are not able to be realised until age 60 (I think).