Citizen Cops changing the way we police our roads

MILTON KEYNES, U.K. - Sept. 5, 2013 - PRLog -- A dangerous driver – with a string of previous motoring offences - will soon be off our roads thanks to a Citizen Cop, in what was a unique, landmark conviction. An in-car camera system was used as evidence to help secure the conviction of 47 year old Adrian Maynard - and all possible without a police officer in sight, proving the public really can make a difference in helping keep our roads safer.

Maynard, a truck driver from Northampton, already had three points for speeding on his licence when he was caught on camera in May 2012.* He was found guilty of dangerous driving in March this year, by Magistrates in Northampton.

He appealed his punishment (a year-long ban from driving, 40 hours community service and the instruction for him to re-sit his driving test before getting behind the wheel again) and was allowed to continue driving pending a date for the appeal. In doing so, the system allowed a dangerous driver to continue to put other road users at risk.

In the five months between the conviction and the appeal hearing yesterday, Maynard then racked up a further 9 points for additional driving offences – taking him up to the 12 point disqualification limit. Despite the success of his appeal against the dangerous driving conviction, Maynard instead pleaded guilty to careless driving, which could see Maynard’s driving licence amass as many as 21 points, meaning Maynard will face an automatic ban regardless.

PoliceWitness.com – the company behind the in-car camera and police reporting system – were present at the appeal. Chairman, Matt Stockdale, said: “We are delighted to have made a significant contribution in helping to remove a dangerous driver from our roads, despite the dubious and even incompetent actions of the CPS.

“For a member of the public to bring a successful prosecution of this kind is absolutely huge. There are fewer and fewer police officers on our streets but this just goes to show you, or I, can make a difference in holding dangerous drivers to account.

“This highlights the fact that we don’t need new legislation and laws but that the existing laws can be community-enforced using services such as PoliceWitness, just as the Home Secretary, Theresa May envisaged.

“It’s not about being vigilantes;  motorists recording their journeys with a discreet in-car video camera not only gives a considerable amount of personal protection for them and their family, it has the added advantage of being able to report those who flout the law – thereby keeping our roads safer”.

For further information, log on to www.policewitness.com.

ENDS

*Video can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCDGd3-NE-g&feature=youtu.be