Chris Huhne Loses £77,750 Legal Costs Appeal

Photograph: Sean Dempsey/PA

Judges uphold ruling ordering former former cabinet minister Chris Huhne to pay £77,750 costs from trial over speeding points scandal. Huhne’s legal team’s original offer of £25,000 towards costs but this was rejected with "no hesitation". On top of this Huhne, was ordered to pay £1,279 prosecution costs relating to the appeal court proceedings.

Three judges at the court of appeal rejected his case at a hearing in London on Tuesday.
The costs order was made in May by Mr Justice Sweeney at Southwark crown court in London.
Prosecutors claimed more than £100,000 from Huhne, who pleaded guilty last February.
His former wife, the economist Vicky Pryce, who was convicted by a jury, was ordered to pay £49,200.

Both have served prison sentences for perverting the course of justice after she took speeding points for her then-husband in 2003.

Dr Pryce has abandoned her own application to challenge the costs order as against her

Pop-up Courts For Speeding Fine Cases

Motorists who wish to challenge their speeding fines will be forced to attend new “pop-up” courts that will temporarily open in their own neighbourhood. These are the plans currently being considered by ministers.

The Proposals to be put forward for roving magistrates who will hold court hearings in village halls and community centres. Magistrates could sit for two days per month in a civic centre in one town in an area before moving to other locations on other days, he said. A court clerk, officials, one or two magistrates and a police officer would be able to set up a temporary court in a town or village hall. The move is designed to end the requirement for all defendants charged with low-level offences to attend a central court building. 

Mike Penning, the Conservative minister behind the plan, believes it would force people to think twice before challenging speeding tickets and other low-level penalties if they are faced with having to argue their cases in public in their own neighbourhoods.

The percieved benefits include

• Community justice - allow residents in an area to see justice being done
• Save money by reducing the backlog of cases at magistrate

Mr Penning said he had “a very open mind” about the potential offences which could be dealt with by roving magistrates in this way, adding that the plan was expected to be put to a formal public consultation.

Taxi Driver Tries to Pin Speeding Offence on Former Employee

Jamie Lyons, a taxi boss attempted to pin a speeding offense on a former employee who owed him money, Dorchester Crown Court heard before finding him guilty of perverting the course of justice

Lyons claimed that it was a former employee was the driver of a Vauxhall Zafira (the car was registered to Lyons) that was caught speeding on Blandford Road in Hamworthy, through a doing 45mhp in a 30mph zone.

Lyons said that Gary Dunlop, had been driving the vehicle on the date in question. However, Mr Dunlop, who worked for Lyons’ for less than a week in May 2013(quit the job after just six days when he struggled to make enough money), was working for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council on the date in question and told the court he only ever drove a Toyota Avensis while working at Streetcars.

Mr Dunlop told the court that after leaving Streetcars he owed Lyons money, due to the cost of getting Mr Dunlop insured to drive the cars, and said his former boss had threatened to ‘break his legs’ and ‘burn his house down’ if he did not pay him money back.

Defending, Timothy Shorter, argued that the only thing Lyons was guilty of was stupidity and carelessness.

It took jurors just over an hour to reach a guilty verdict.Lyons will appear at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on Friday, November 7.

New Use for Tax Disc Holder - Really Quite Clever!

Wondering what you were going to do with your tax disc holder now that car tax is going paperless?

You were just going to rip it off and chuck it in the bin STOP!

Or at least read this first and see what you think....

PC Dave Wise and colleagues, based in Malvern, Worcestershire have dreamt up a new use for the licence disc holders that every car carries on its windscreen - one which could save lives.

They have come up with an emergency contact information and medical alert card.

Image Credit theboltonnews.co.uk

PC Wise said: "This is a really useful replacement for your tax disc. if a driver is involved in a collision or has a medical emergency whilst at the wheel, a first responder will have easy access to vital medical information and we can quickly contact next of kin. The way the disc folds in on itself means all the information is kept private until needed by emergency services personnel."

They have even created the template for you to print, cut out and fill in, which is available either via their Twitter account @MalvernCops or you can download and print the form here: ECDiscUpdate.pdf

"We will be linking in with local ambulance and fire commanders to make them aware of this initiative so they can be on the lookout for these emergency contact discs," said PC Wise.

Italy’s First Electric Supercar: Tecnicar Lavinia

Tecnicar an Italian company are currently working on an electric only supercar. According to reports, Tecnicar has designed this high-performance electric coupe and named it the Lavinia. The image seen here is a rendering of the model. The vehicle is reportedly powered by an electric motor with 800 HP that will ensure the Lavinia to complete the 0-100 kmph run in 3.5 seconds. The maximum speed is rated at 300 kmph.

The car is currently under construction and it is still unclear when it will be fully completed. Design of the Lavinia is done by Giuseppe Ferrazzano, while these 3D renderings are made by Angelo Granata. 

Speeding Pensioner on Mobility Scooter in Tesco Hit and 'Nearly Killed' Elderly Shopper

Shaken shopper Bruce Storr, 67, says he was knocked down and injured by a mobility scooter doing 25mph while he was doing his weekly shop in Plymouth Tesco 

Image Credit SWNS via Mirror.co.uk

Mr Storr was in the DVD aisle when an elderly man came roaring along and slammed straight into him, he went flying through the air and he landed on his arm and shoulder, chipping a bone and leaving him in agony.

Police are investigating but the rider has not been charged. Mobility scooters usually have a top speed of 8mph but furious Bruce, is convinced it was doing three times that speed.

He said: "I was at the paper stand picking up a newspaper when he came shooting out of the aisle where they keep the videos and DVDs. It was doing about 25mph - being a HGV driver I am a very good judge of speed. Hit me on the backside. I was knocked backwards by a good five or six feet and landed on my shoulder and my head. I was on the floor when the ambulance came and they took me to A&E. The police were also there and spoke to witnesses and took statements. I didn't see much else but my Granddaughter said he was a grumpy old man, swinging his legs around like he didn't care. He didn't apologise."

At the minute anyone over the age of 14 can hop abroad without any sort of test. Safety campaigners want the law tightened up so people need licenses to drive mobility scooters.

Bruce says he was left very painful shoulder and has been to hospital twice to have his injuries looked at. "I can't use my right hand and my shoulder is very painful. When I went back they said I had chipped a bone in my shoulder. It's painful and swollen, and my neck is bruised. Something needs to be done about these mobility scooters, they can be very dangerous."

Law Abiding Motorists Caught Out By Fake Road Sign

 Some law abiding motorists have reportedly been prosecuted after false 40mph signs were erected on a 30mph road near Rotherham for three days before the local council removed them. They appeared so genuine, even a driving instructor was among those who fell foul of them.

The Association of British Drivers has described the prosecutions as ‘outrageous’ and is calling upon the local police force to cancel the penalties.

Brian Macdowall ABD director said “It is outrageous that drivers should be penalised for speeding when they were obeying what they thought was the speed limit, There is a legal requirement on highway authorities to ensure that the correct signs are displayed… the police should also check that a speed limit is correctly signed before starting any enforcement activity. They clearly failed to do so in this case. If these penalties are not revoked it means that even the most law-abiding drivers risk that speed limit signs that cannot be trusted.”

Police told the Telegraph that they couldn’t confirm how many drivers had been prosecuted because of the fake road signs. “Nobody knows where [the signs] came from, The initial indication we have had is… somebody has clearly done it as a joke.” Not so funny for the motorists facing prosecution

Scottish Police Use EMPTY Police Car as Crime Prevention Tool

Image Credit: http://recombu.com

The Scottish Police  have created an innovative new crime fighting technique, that doesn't even require them to be at the scene; they've started parking empty police cars in crime hotspots to deter criminals.

According to the Evening Telegraph, a marked Vauxhall Zafira police car was parked there close to midnight on Monday and stayed there (parked on double yellow lines) on Dens Road, near Dundee until about 8:30pm the following day when another police car dropped someone off who then drove it away.

Writers at Evening Telegraph phoned cops to ask why the car had been seemingly abandoned, and were told by police that the vehicle had been left there in aid of crime prevention.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland, Tayside Division, commented: “Police Scotland continues to provide a visible presence in the communities of Tayside, whether officers are on patrol or by the use of marked police vehicles, in order to deter, disrupt and detect criminality and keep people safe.”

City councilor Kevin Keenan, who sits on Dundee’s Policy and Resources Committee, said: “I think there’s no substitute for people seeing the police walking along the streets — that’s what the general public wants to see. I suppose it’s still good to have a visible police presence and I think it could work for an hour or so, but when it’s parked as long as almost 24 hours, then people will think it’s either broken down, or it’s just been dumped there. It’s certainly not perfect and it’s seems a strange tactic to use and I’d like to find out the full explanation for its use. Perhaps there’s a surplus of police cars and I did hear the number of officers leaving the force had risen, so maybe there’s a shortage of staff?”

Have you seen any seemingly abandoned police cars in your area?, What do you think of this tactic? Let us know in the comments below.

Michael Schumacher ‘Waking up Very Slowly’ From Coma, Reveals Son

Schumacher's 15-year-old son Mick has revealed that Michael Schumacher is 'waking up very slowly' following the skiing accident which left him with horrific brain injuries.

Image Credit: Twitter

The 45-year-old is being treated by a team of 15 experts in a purpose-built medical suite in this home after spending six months in a medically-induced coma following the accident in Meribel, France, in December last year.  His care is estimated to be costing his family 100,000 pounds per month.

French F1 commentator Jean-Louis Moncet told Europe 1 radio station: 'I saw his son and he told me that Schumi is waking up very slowly; very slowly. 'Although things are going at a slow pace, he has a lot of time, I would say he has his whole life in front of him to get back on track.'

Moncet, 69, also cast new light on the manner in which Schumacher was injured when he struck a rock during the fall. 'The problem for Michael was not the hit, but the mounting of the Go-Pro camera that he had on his helmet that injured his brain'.

It is understood that Schumacher remains immobile and unable to speak.

23,295 Overseas Drivers Escape Speeding Offences

A freedom of information request by road safety charity The Institute of Advanced Motorists has revealed that oversees drivers have escaped 23,295 speeding offences since January 2013 - the equivalent of £2.3 million worth of speeding tickets - across England and Wales.

Gwent Police (which includes South Wales and Dyfed Powys Police forces as part of 'Go Safe' - Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership) recorded the third highest number of overseas speeding offences across England and Wales - a reported 2,090, with the highest speed recording of 99mph in a 70mph zone.

 Neil Greig, The Institute of Advanced Motorists said:
"The high numbers of oversees speeders on our roads show how important it is that the UK joins up with the rest of Europe to harmonise motoring offences and give the police extra powers to pursue dangerous drivers. Progress on this issue has been very slow and in the meantime thousands of drivers are avoiding fines and bans simply because their cars cannot be easily traced."

Credit: Wales News Service. 

Vandal Paints Penis on £1.5 Million Bugatti Veyron

Image: Twitter

Someone has been hard at work on the streets of Seattle, vandalising  a £1.5million supercar by painting a penis on it.

Some might call the vandal an amateur psychologist as some say that this type of car functions as a substitute for the real, fleshy thing.

Anyone looking for a metal substitute for their own organ could do worse than the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport: it’s the world’s most expensive production car, and does nought to 60 in 2.6 seconds. The Veyron boasts 1200hp, more than many dedicated racing cars, but is street legal.

The Dancing Traffic Light

Inherently people don't like waiting, that makes traffic lights the most dangerous spot in a city.  But what if someone made waiting fun? Like this for example?

I don't know about you but I definitely want a go!

Created by Smart : "We believe that smart ideas can turn the city into a better place. Like a dancing traffic light that makes people wait and watch rather than walk through the red light. FOR more safety. #WhatAreYouFOR"

We have also included an additional video about "The making of at the bottom of the article. Enjoy!

 

How Do I Renew My Car Tax Disc Using DVLA's New System 2014

Are you one of those who are currently looking to renew your car tax disc and a little confused now that there is no paper Disc involved? 

The last thing you want is to get a hefty fine because you didnt comply!

There are a few options for getting your car tax renewed under the new system:

• Online
• Phone
• In person

OnlineThe new GOV.UK renewal service is now live, though officially still in beta.

Phone0300 123 4321.  charges may apply.

In personRenew at the local Post Office. Take your completed V11 reminder (or your V5C), an MOT test certificate if required (must be valid when the tax starts), and the payment shown on the reminder

Rumour as it that the website and phone lines are struggling with a surge or eager beavers so unusually you may actually find that doing it in person is quickest! Have you already applied? what was your experience?

Speed Camera Earns £800,000 in Just 6 Months

Britain's most lucrative speed camera is in Cardiff, sited on Newport Road which has a 30mph limit. It has raked in £800,000 in just six months. To achieve this figure it is trapping an average of 71 drivers every day (it has already caught an astonishing 13,624 drivers this year)

This has overtaken the earnings from a
camera at Junction 25 on the M60 in Greater Manchester which averaged catching 26 speeding drivers per day. (figures from research conducted by LV insurance)

Motorists are obviously feeling angered by the speed camera after road chiefs hailed it a massive success. The camera was installed in 2012 but it has only just became 'fully commissioned'

Mother-of-three Karen Leyshon, who was caught going at 34mph through the speed trap, said: 'It's is ridiculous - I've been driving on that road every days for years without any problem whatsoever until this camera was put up. It is nothing but a cash cow. It's outrageous, the camera does nothing to improve safety of this road. It may be a busy stretch but it's perfectly safe. I didn't notice the camera going up, I got caught doing 34mph and I had to pay £85 for a speed awareness course. It was a complete waste of my time and money - I'm sure that most of the other 13,000 people would tell you exactly the same thing.'

In the first half of the year 5,906 people who got caught by the camera completed speed awareness courses after being caught speeding at the junction. A further 3,064 people paid speeding fines in the same six months. Assuming the minimum fine of £100 and a typical cost of £85 per place on speed awareness courses, the camera could have netted an astonishing £808,410.

The GoSafe partnership say that the area has a high flow of traffic and motorists should always comply with the speed limit. Road safety groups have said the camera is not doing it's job properly and should be there to reduce speeds rather than bring in money.

Tim Shallcross, from the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: 'The whole purpose of speed cameras is to slow people down, because it's felt that excessive speed in that area causes casualties. 'If a camera is issuing a small number of fines, or none at all, it's doing its job. If it's ticketing that many people, it's not having that effect.

'The local authority, which is responsible for road safety, should be looking at those figures and saying, 'We seem to have an issue here - the camera is catching a lot of people. 'Let's make sure that it looks like a 30mph highway, and that the cameras are clearly visible and the signs aren't obscured by vegetation'.