MP Fiona Onasanya accused of lying about speeding

Labour MP Fiona Onasanya has been charged with perverting the course of justice over allegedly lying about who was behind the wheel of a speeding vehicle.

The MP of Peterborough Fiona Onasanya appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 12 July charged with the offence. She faces two counts of perverting the course of justice. Her brother Festus Onasanya faces three counts of the same offence.

Mr Onasanya, of Cambridge, is jointly charged with his sister on the two counts she faces relating to incidents on 24 July 2017 and 23 August 2017. Both are due to appear at the Old Bailey on 13 August

The charges allege they intended to pervert the course of justice by driving a vehicle in excess of the speed limit, falsely informing the investigating authorities that a third party had been the driver and enabling them, as a consequence, to avoid such prosecution and punishment.

During the July incident, Ms Onasanya is alleged to have been driving - and during the August incident, her brother is alleged to have been driving.

The single count that Mr Onasanya faces relates to an incident on 17 June 2017.

The BBC contacted the office of Ms Onasanya and A Labour Party spokesman said: "It would not be appropriate to comment on an ongoing case."

Ms Onasanya, who was a solicitor before being elected to Parliament, is a Labour whip, meaning she is responsible for party discipline.

 Source BBC

Eight year olds caught speeding

You wouldnt expect it but Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency figures reveal that children as young as eight have been caught speeding by police in Britain in the last two years.

A Freedom of Information request covering 2017 to the present, unearthed that there were two instances where people aged eight were found in cars or on motorbikes.

At the other end of the spectrum more than 900 people in their 90s got penalty points for speeding (three of these incidents involving people aged 99).

If a driver is underage, the endorsements are held on file by the DVLA and the penalty points can be added to any driving licence they hold in the future.

The DVLA did not provide information about the circumstances of the driving offences, saying its role was to compile information provided by the courts.

But its figures show more than one million speeding offences were recorded over the period concerned.

Nearly 1,400 offences related to people aged under 17, including one aged 11 and three aged 13.
The majority of speeders were people in their 40s, which is thought to include the largest age group of motorists.

The highest number of speeders were aged 46, amounting to 30,075 offences

Source: BBC

Gatso vandalised with grey spray paint. Are fines still valid?

A Gatso camera on Wessex Way in Bournemouth, was recently sprayed grey - making it 'almost invisible' according to one motorist - any prosecution could still take place, according to Dorset Police.

The police said that they were 'aware of the vandalism'. Adding that repairs were carried out within 24 hours of enquiring about the damage.

However, drivers who believe they could escape any speeding prosecution because the camera is not its more prominent yellow colour are wrong.

Source: Bournemouth Echo