***UPDATE***Driving while using mobile phone - citation for court

lvm

Ok, moving this thread after realising "fines" was for parking fines only...oops!

Hello,

Really just looking for people with experience with this...

My friend got caught using her mobile phone while driving (in July I think) and should have paid the £30 fine (or £60...can't remember) and got 3 points.

So...obviously she decides to ignore it and a few weeks ago got a citation to appear in court today at 10am. She left it until yesterday to give me all the paperwork and deal with it for her.

She wasn't going to go to court so only other option was to pre-date the "Reply Form" and send licence to Procurator Fiscal which has now been done although they are unlikely to receive this until Monday (today if lucky!).

I've read a few websites and most just refer to the maximum £1000 fine and 3 points but can't find anything with what fine should be expected (I'm guessing it's rarely the maximum).

I've filled out hers "Means" info and said she can afford £5 a week.

One website said that they would look to fine her half a week's wage but she could expect a 25% uplift because she is an owner-driver.

So, anyone gone through the same as this? What did you get fined?

To make matters worse, the evidence given to the court will include a previous conviction for the exact same offence 3 1/2 years ago (and despite the 2 fines now, she still hasn't learnt her lesson!!)

Guessing there's also a chance they could completely ignore a late reply form and put a warrant out for her arrest...

Thanks in advance for any help!

vax2002

If she turns up and the reporting officer does not, as often they dont, the officer would not be available to identify the defendant to the court and out goes the case.
However you often have to demand this yourself as the provided court solicitors are about as much use as a bag of *****

lvm

£500

vax2002 wrote: »

If she turns up and the reporting officer does not, as often they dont, the officer would not be available to identify the defendant to the court and out goes the case.
However you often have to demand this yourself as the provided court solicitors are about as much use as a bag of *****

Ah, I never knew that - that would have been good to use! She didn't want to go though so has plead guilty using the Reply Form. Just no idea how much they'll decide to fine her (if they don't sent the cops round to arrest her for not turning up!)

jwruk

So she ignored the original paperwork, fails to show up in court and has been previously punished for the same offence and palms all the paperwork off on you?

Hopefully she'll get fined the maximum amount and have her license endorsed (please make sure she informs her insurance company so they can increase her premiums). I'd like to know what the outcome was seeing as you say she was due in court 4 hours ago, please keep us updated.

anotherbaldrick

If this is one of your friends I hope you have no enemies !

laurence_p

i bet her phone costs more than £5 a week. she deserves everything she gets. we get a lot of wagons up and down our rd and the drivers are always on their phones. bear in mind that there are loads of kids playing around here and not so long ago one was critically injured after being hit by a car so you can imagine the mess a wagon would make of a child. i hate [yes hate] people who drive while using a phone.

Flyboy152

I am confused, did she go to court today or not?

Reggie_Rebel

Flyboy152 wrote: »

I am confused, did she go to court today or not?

Give her a ring, find out

DCFC79

Flyboy152 wrote: »

I am confused, did she go to court today or not?

the way i read is no she didnt go as she replied using the form saying she was guilty.

DCFC79

Its her second offence plus she didnt deal with the issue at an earlier stage and didnt show up for court, i hope they throw the book at her as she mightg learn her lesson.

custardy

lvm wrote: »

Ok, moving this thread after realising "fines" was for parking fines only...oops!

Hello,

Really just looking for people with experience with this...

My friend got caught using her mobile phone while driving (in July I think) and should have paid the £30 fine (or £60...can't remember) and got 3 points.

So...obviously she decides to ignore it and a few weeks ago got a citation to appear in court today at 10am. She left it until yesterday to give me all the paperwork and deal with it for her.

She wasn't going to go to court so only other option was to pre-date the "Reply Form" and send licence to Procurator Fiscal which has now been done although they are unlikely to receive this until Monday (today if lucky!).

I've read a few websites and most just refer to the maximum £1000 fine and 3 points but can't find anything with what fine should be expected (I'm guessing it's rarely the maximum).

I've filled out hers "Means" info and said she can afford £5 a week.

One website said that they would look to fine her half a week's wage but she could expect a 25% uplift because she is an owner-driver.

So, anyone gone through the same as this? What did you get fined?

To make matters worse, the evidence given to the court will include a previous conviction for the exact same offence 3 1/2 years ago (and despite the 2 fines now, she still hasn't learnt her lesson!!)

Guessing there's also a chance they could completely ignore a late reply form and put a warrant out for her arrest...

Thanks in advance for any help!

wouldnt it have better to advise her to go to court?