Belfast News Editorial: CPS Should Face Prosecution

Ever been driving along a carriage, within the legal speed limit, only to find the car in front of you, brakes as they have just spotted a speed trap?

A 64 year old Grimsby driver Michael Thompson has just been successfully prosecuted for warning oncoming vehicles of a speed trap, by flashing his lights at oncoming traffic.

Mr. Thompson explained that he was 'very surprised' when the police stopped him and that he believes 'that speed traps cause vehicles to brake harshly at times' and that he 'flashed' other 'motorists to warn them of a hazard'.

Mr. Thompson who now has a criminal record, was fined £175 and ordered to pay £250 costs and was also ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge after being found guilty of willfully obstructing a police officer in the course of their duty.

Many drivers can sympathize with Mr. Thompson, many of whom have been stuck behind cars who brake upon seeing a speed camera despite being within the speed limit. Many will agree that the charge used to prosecute this defendant is a twisting of what this charge was intended for and that the prosecution in such tough economic times was a 'total waste' of time and money. 

Given that Grimsby, like the rest of the country has serious unresolved crime it is unacceptable that on one side of the road is a speed trap and on the other side of the road is another trap to catch 'flashers'. The waste of police time in processing this man, the cost to the CPS in reviewing and pursuing this case, the expenses in having police witnesses take time of their duties to attend court for a full day and the overall cost to the court, is outrageous.

Despite this, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) defended its decision to prosecute stating 'Cost is not a consideration in our decision to prosecute', continuing, 'when a file is provided to the CPS from the police, it is our duty to decide whether it presents a realistic prospect of conviction and whether a prosecution is in the public interest' and that 'in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors a prosecution was deemed appropriate'.

It is clear to most people bar the prosecution, that pursuing such a case is not in the public interest. That the case only serves to erode the public support of the police, impede co-operation with them and cost the public purse a small fortune in such stringent times. The prosecution could have remedied this case in an more appropriate way, and it falls to the Principle and Branch Crown Prosecutors of the Grimsby area to take charge of such politically correct policing, before the public lose all confidence in their ability.

Perhaps, to help focus their attention they should be surcharged the full cost of the money the public perceive their department to have wasted. The bottom line is that the police and the CPS should consider their position carefully before alienating the public, because it is more likely that it is they that will need the help of the public in the future, rather than the other way round. 

Given that the CPS were lambasted last year, for prosecuting a man for the alleged theft of less than a penny's worth of electricity, the public have a right to expect that they would standardize their practices, rooting out politically correct rubbish and all those who wish to practice it.

Created: 15th January 2011