"caught" speeding - why's it take so long to get to court

[ninja]

i was "caught" speeding a year ago and have a court date in june or july this year.
i was stopped by a normal police car who had followed me for almost 20 miles and advised that i was doing 110mph. now at the time my car had engine management issues which topped out the speed at 70 or so MPH and it's also fitted with a tracker so i can show my average speed was 60. i asked the cops for their evidence, vascar, a speed gun or whatever but was told they didn't have any of that but there was 2 of the and 1 of me and they would both say i was driving dangerously (for 20 miles?) and speeding at 110pmh and they would get their speedo calibrated. they did, it showed 10mph MORE than the car was actually doing.

my question is this
why is this taking so long?

i have 2 mates who were also caught both by camera or vascar at the end of last year and both have already BEEN to court!
their time to trial was like 3-4 months.
mine is 15-16 months!?

is this normal - i've not even seen the evidence against me and the "offence" was a year ago

btw when stopped the police officers wanted to see the engine, and inside the car and had a million questions about the evora! both very surprised it had a back seat! and then told me i was dangerous driving and speeding

chris

[GBOBM]

Maybe they didn't report you after all and decided to drop it?

[robin]

Have you been given any paper work - either at the time or since? If not, then until you do, there is no case at all (you've not been arrested/cautioned/formally charged with anything). If you do have paper given to you at the time or by post later, it will have a reference number on it - shouldn't be hard to call the nick (in the first instance) and ask them what's happening.

Cheers,
Robin

[tut]

When you were stopped, because of the speed, you would have been cautioned and informed that the details would be forwarded to the PF, but you would not be given any paperwork. You then sit back and wait for a letter that will give you the option of pleading guilty as charged, or not guilty, which can take several months depending on where you are in the queue, in my case it took five months.

From there on it can take several paths.

tut

[Callummarshall]

As above, have you received any paperwork, court summons, nip or anything from them?

I had my summons through in just under three months. I'd have thought you would have heard by now!

[Stephen]

If you have the numbers of the officers involved you could raise it with the police complaints commission.

[j2 lot]

It all sounds a bit vague but you mention June /July - have you been given an actual date and if so what are you being charged with (speeding/ careless / dangerous), if it's 110, probably the latter? in which case lawyer up.

[alicrozier]

Sounds like you got verbal NIP at the time?

If proceedings only starting now (first notification of court date) then that is beyond the legal requirement for 6 months...
Once started can be up to 3 years. All imho but some reading here:
http://forums.pepipoo.com/lofiversion/i ... 35783.html

[ninja]

sorry guy's i got a letter in may last year advising of the court date and asking if i wanted to plead guilty. i plead not guilty but would still need to go to court because of the speed as it's not a fixed penalty case.

so i've had notification of hte court date as may for the evidentiary hearing and july for the case.

but my mates who got caught the end of last year have also had this and have cases before mine. like they got caught, got the paperwork, plead not guilty and all will be in court (the same court) within 4 moths of the offence. where as i'm 15 months after the offence for the same paperwork.

chris

[neil]

I'd be speaking to a solicitor if I were you

[mxvx]

http://www.freelands.co.uk/
Paul Santoni
Petrolhead to boot.

[ninja]

i've got a solicitor.

was mainly wondering why the hell my case is taking 15 months to get to court when everyone elses takes a third of that time in the same court.

i mean clearly they had earlier dates than the one allocated to me as i know 2 people stopped 6-9 months after me who have both either been to court or are going to court before me.


chris

[mxvx]

i've got a solicitor.

was mainly wondering why the hell my case is taking 15 months to get to court when everyone elses takes a third of that time in the same court.

i mean clearly they had earlier dates than the one allocated to me as i know 2 people stopped 6-9 months after me who have both either been to court or are going to court before me.


chris

what did he say in response to your question?

[alicrozier]

Maybe yours not so 'slam dunk' as the others and taken time between PF and coppers. Non traffic bobbies maybe busy with other stuff?

[robin]

There is no first in first out system. Each case is processed by itself and I doubt there is anything you can do to hurry it up, though as Tut discovered, there are many ways in which it can be delayed yet further!

Chin up, it'll all be fine in the end Fingers crossed their lack of sensible evidence and your tracker data will mean you get a fair result.

Cheers,
Robin