As Brits increasingly challenge their speeding fines, are we becoming more confident about winning motoring appeals or just inspired by celebrity court victories?
David Beckham was the latest in a long list of famous faces to escape punishment in January 2018, when lawyer Nick Freeman, who has been dubbed Mr Loophole, argued that his paperwork did not arrive in time. Beckham was caught driving 59mph in a 40mph zone but got away scott-free due to the technicality.
But speaking in The Telegraph, one leading lawyer has urged caution on appeals, despite Home Office figures showing that there has been a 43 per cent rise in drivers making a challenge in court.
Peter Dodd, partner at Nockolds law firm, told The Telegraph: “As the police have been given powers to impose harsher penalties, a greater proportion of motorists want to challenge those decisions.
“But this idea of being able to get off on a technicality is a bit of a myth.
“It is much better to accept the punishment, whether that is a speed awareness or retraining course, or points and a fine because going to court often just makes things worse in the long run.
“For the sake of a fine in the hundreds of pounds, drivers are risking thousands of pounds in fines and costs in a magistrates courts plus six points on their licence.”