Has the world gone MAD or just the CPS

[dazza-diesel]

I found this on the net while reading the news yesterday.... A little disappointed at the police but in general I support them in doing a very difficult job that I would not have the patients to do myself…. What I do find outrageous is the fact the CPS actually decided to prosecute at the tax payers expense…..

A police force has been accused of "lacking common sense" after hauling a motorist before the courts for driving through a puddle.

Jason Evans, 34, from Yeovil, Somerset, was fined £150 with three points on his licence after he admitted a charge of inconsiderate driving at Yeovil Magistrates Court.

The father-of-one was on his way back home when his Vauxhall Vectra hit a puddle at 15mph and splashed a council workman.

The incident,

in the village of Charlton Mackrell, was witnessed by two Avon and Somerset Police officers.

He was pulled over and spoken to about "driving without reasonable consideration for others".

The software engineer was offered the chance to go on a two-day drivers' course but declined, claiming it was an accident and he had not intentionally splashed the workman.

A summons was issued and Mr Evans pleaded guilty to the charge at Yeovil Magistrates Court - fearing he could be fined £2,500 if he fought the case.

Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation, criticised both the police and the Crown Prosecution Service for bringing the case.

He said: "I think we've all seen and we all know motorists who do this kind of thing on purpose and I think if someone does do it on purpose they should be prosecuted.

"But in this case he had slowed down and was only doing 15mph. He hadn't realised how deep the puddle was. It was unintentional.

"The police officers should have used their discretion, pulled him over and giving him a ticking off."

Mr King said he had only heard of a "handful" of convictions for inconsiderate driving and said the charge was open to interpretation.

"Unlike speeding, which is pretty shut and dry, this is open to interpretation and the prosecution must prove it was intentional."

Superintendent Lawrie Lewis, head of Avon and Somerset Police's road police unit, said Mr Evans only had himself to blame for the prosecution.

He said Mr Evans, who hit the puddle at 15mph, was driving too fast when his car splashed the workman.

"Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act is very clear about the offences of careless and inconsiderate driving," he said.

"This was clearly an act which was inconsiderate to other road users and if the driver had shown a little more care and a little less speed, he would not have found himself in court.

"The CPS and the court obviously considered it serious enough to impose the penalty given."

He failed to say what an appropriate speed would have been for driving through a puddle

[AJA]

The world is going mad.

1. Kids tie a firework to the side of a horses face and kill the horse and get charged £80.00.

2. A women places a 999 call for teenagers smashing her house and car windows for a trick or treat. Police never turn up.

These are just a few stories I've heard on the news recently. I could go on and on, but I don't want to flog a dead horse (excuse the pun).

I'm not having a dig at the Police, sometimes their hands are tied.

I reacted to teenagers at my old address and the Old Bill that turned up threatened to charge me. As far as I was concerned I was protecting what was mine and I'd do it again. Needless to say the teenagers got the message and I had no more trouble.

I'm not saying you should take the matter into your own hands, but if you do make sure your ar53 is covered.

[grumpano]

Indeed, i wonder if the world is going mad.It makes my blood boil,but who in goverment cares?

[philzi]

kids and fireworks in Leeds this week. Terrier runs in front of car and gets knocked over..."kids" yobs more to the point claim injured dog...tie fireworks to it and thus blow poor injured dog to bits...now do you think the powers that be will do anything realistic with these people? doubt it...

btw mind out for the hidden camera van behind that hedge!

[cavester]

This sort of stuff really boils my p*ss! an absolute wast of time and money, no one was hurt, bloomin hell... idiots!

L.

[Caterman]

I feel my soap box coming out.......when is this country stop being such a bl00dy "nanny state"? You can't do this, can't do that, can't f@rt in public etc etc....
There are real problems in this country and people should concentrate on the serious issues. I'm not anti police at all but i do believe some of them are on a power trip and yet other times they get slated for not taking action. The "do gooders" of this world are starting to take over. They are a lot of the reason why yob culture is ruling in some areas. The yobs know you cannot touch them. My Father-in-law had trouble with kids outside his house tonight, went to have a word and was given a mouthful of abuse. They told him to go away as he could'nt do anything about it. "Touch me and i'll have ya" GGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR............................ ...........
I wanted to go around and rip their little $hitty heads off but as the wife pointed out calmly. "you will be in more trouble than them"
SOCIETY HAS GONE MAD......or is it me?

[AJA]

No witnesses, no proof!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AJA]

And you don't have to justify carrying one either!!!

you may have to now thought mate. LOL

Anyway back on topic - at the end of the day the guy did plead guilty. I think he was ill advised personally.

[Basil]

Right, where do I start.


Firstly I support the police fully and, as someone else has already said they have a difficult job to do and most of the bobbies I know would love to have free rein to sort these scummy little pieces of dirt out.

It is the powers that be that need addressing, these are the people that set policy and hold the police back from using "discretion".

The problem with policing today is the amount of constraints put upon them, you cannot seem to get a copper when you really need one.
They are all to busy either meeting government targets for speeders (thank you Mr Gordon Brown and the rest of the traffic taliban) or pursuing so called "minor" offences to reach yet more fictitous targets to make the government lists look good.

We need to get rid of the human rights bill for criminals, as far as I'm concerned the moment you break the law, you forfeit all human rights you had by breaching the rights of your victim, there should be no excuse for proven criminals getting off on a "technicality" or because the jury wern't born on the last friday of the month in a leap year.

Sorry for going off topic slightly, but the only way forward in our age is to really crack down heavily on violent disorder and so called "anti social behavior", and until this happens we are all going to have to look over our shoulders as the "hoodies" become even more powerful.

Oh and by the way, the police were wrong to prosecute the poor bloke.

[AJA]

Lmao