CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!

Man caught with car engine on minutes after driving ban

(6 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by crowriver
  • Latest reply from kaputnik

  1. crowriver
    Member

    A man spent a night in the cells after he walked out of court upon receiving a driving ban and got into his car.

    Hassan Afzal was disqualified from driving for 56 days at Perth's Justice of the Peace court after admitting speeding at 104mph.

    Immediately after leaving court police saw him get into his Vauxhall Astra and start the engine.

    Although the 27-year-old spent the night in the cells, prosecutors decided not to pursue a fresh case against him.

    Afzal's car was towed away from the court a short time after officers saw him getting into it on CCTV and stepped in to remove the keys from the ignition.

    Police Scotland confirmed that he had been charged in relation to a road traffic incident and was expected to appear at Perth Sheriff Court.

    But the Crown Office confirmed a short time later that Afzal - who had spent the night in custody at Perth Police station - had been cleared of any further offence.

    Continues at:
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-26749127

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. Snowy
    Member

    Another bit of evidence that driving bans are completely inadequate for the purpose of keeping dangerous drivers off the roads...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. DaveC
    Member

    Nothing new. A mate of my dads was a copper in Leeds. I remember him telling us how they used to sit oitside the court in the carpark. A fellow officer in the court would radio out when convicted drivers were leaving and they would simply watch the offender return to their cars and arrested them on the spot, returning them to the station to be processed. He said at first he couldn't believe how many people would be so stupid but then said they catch a lot of banned drivers that way . This was 20+ years ago too!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. Snowy
    Member

    According to the Government themselves, in Scotland the crime of driving while disqualified carries (max) 12 months imprisonment / £5000 fine / discretionary disqualification.

    https://www.gov.uk/highway-code-penalties/penalty-table

    So despite the fact he was seen using his keys to get into his car and start the engine, and the polis yanked him out of said car, "the Procurator Fiscal decided that there was insufficient evidence to raise criminal proceedings at this time."

    Sounds like a bad attack of 'couldnae be arsed' on the part of the PF.

    Poor show.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. Focus
    Member

    I'd like to say I'm surprised by anything about this but sadly I'm not.

    The man can't be trusted. Unfortunately, neither can the PF as far as doing anything positive about it.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I wonder just what sort of "evidence" the PF actually needs beyond the testimony of 2 polispersons and corroborating CCTV footage!

    Perhaps the Police would try enforcing 20mph zones if they know that the judiciary were interested in prosecuting for it, with some supporting sentencing.

    Posted 11 years ago #

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