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#Post#: 117899--------------------------------------------------
England - Failure to Identify driver, any chance to reduce fine?
DIR By: triflemail218222
Date: May 6, 2026, 6:49 am
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I committed a speeding offence in August 2025. I didn't know of
the fine or offence because I stupidly didn't update my Log
book. So everything was sent to the wrong address. I didn't know
about anything until DVLA sent me a letter asking for my drivers
license in April 2026, as I will be banned for six months.
I don't mind the driving ban but the fine is £1014.
When I called the court and said everything had been sent to the
wrong address they asked me to submit a mitigating statement. In
the form I have to plead guilty or not guilty to the failure to
identify driver offence.
I just want to get the fine reduced as I am broke at the moment.
I also don't want it to go to court as I am out of the country
for work and don't want to pay more for a plane ticket to come
back to the UK just for a court hearing.
Should I plead guilty to the failure to submit driver?
Is it possible if I say in the mitigating statement that I can
take the ban but can the court just reduce the fine for now
without it going to court?
Or should I just take it on the head and pay the fine, move on?
Whats my best option here?
#Post#: 117900--------------------------------------------------
Re: England - Failure to Identify driver, any chance to reduce
fine?
DIR By: andy_foster
Date: May 6, 2026, 6:54 am
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The best option is to post a coherent version of events.
You have been convicted of the s. 172 offence, and are asking us
how you should plead to it. You have already had a conversation
with the court, and have provided a meaningless account of it.
#Post#: 117901--------------------------------------------------
Re: England - Failure to Identify driver, any chance to reduce
fine?
DIR By: triflemail218222
Date: May 6, 2026, 7:00 am
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This is the timeline of events:
Timeline of Events
07 August 2025 Alleged speeding offence (no knowledge of this at
the time).
31 August 2025 Departed the United Kingdom to work and travel
abroad.
11 September 2025 Date of alleged offence for failing to provide
driver information (unknown to me at the time).
(August–December 2025) Correspondence relating to the 07 August
offence sent to an old address listed on the vehicle logbook
(V5C), which had not been updated
13 April 2026 First time I became aware of any issue relating to
the 07 August offence, upon receiving a court letter regarding
failure to provide driver information.
17 April 2026 (following contact with the court) Confirmed that
correspondence for the 07 August offence had been sent to an
outdated address.
#Post#: 117912--------------------------------------------------
Re: England - Failure to Identify driver, any chance to reduce
fine?
DIR By: BertB
Date: May 6, 2026, 8:58 am
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Yep, but you left out some detail again.
--- Quote ---
> When I called the court and said everything had been sent to
the wrong address they asked me to submit a mitigating
statement. In the form I have to plead guilty or not guilty to
the failure to identify driver offence.
--- End Quote ---
Are you saying here that you have filled in a statutory
declaration to say you were unaware of proceedings at the time,
and the court have asked you to provide a G or NG plea with that
statement?
What are the charges? Were you dual charged with both the FTF
and the speeding charge at the time? All the relevant
information you can provide around the original charge(s) and
what the court initially sent you plus what they have sent you
now, is meaningful.
A stat dec sets aside the original conviction and resets it back
to summons stage. But you need a copy of the charge sheet before
you can decide to plead guilty or not guilty. Although for
expediency, it seems the courts like to bypass this and move
straight onto plea.
But if you have both charges presented, then you can offer to
plead guilty to the underlying speeding offence if they will
drop the failure to furnish details charge.
#Post#: 117918--------------------------------------------------
Re: England - Failure to Identify driver, any chance to reduce
fine?
DIR By: triflemail218222
Date: May 6, 2026, 9:23 am
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--- Quote from: BertB link ---
>
> Are you saying here that you have filled in a statutory
declaration to say you were unaware of proceedings at the time,
and the court have asked you to provide a G or NG plea with that
statement?
>
--- End Quote ---
I have not filled in anything yet.
The court proceedings had already happened in my absence.
When found out about it, I called the court but I was still not
sure what I was charged with and what to do. They told me that
it all had been going to the wrong address and gave me a link to
a form where I have to fill out a mitigating statement and it
also asks on the form if I plead guilty or not guilty to these
offences.
They did forward me a document to my email that had a SJPN, on
that it has the failure to identify driver offence and speeding.
It was a 59 mph in a 50mph controlled speeding zone.
#Post#: 117920--------------------------------------------------
Re: England - Failure to Identify driver, any chance to reduce
fine?
DIR By: andy_foster
Date: May 6, 2026, 9:29 am
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Oh, you got a link to a form. Mystery solved.
#Post#: 117923--------------------------------------------------
Re: England - Failure to Identify driver, any chance to reduce
fine?
DIR By: triflemail218222
Date: May 6, 2026, 9:43 am
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Yes after I called them, they sent me a link via email.
Basically saying I have 21 days from when I found out that the
case went to court without me and to decide what I should do.
While filling out the form it also asks if I plead guilty or
not. I don't really want to travel to the UK just for a court
case, plus I didn't update my log book, so it's not guaranteed
to go my way from my understanding.
So Im not sure if I should plead guilty and send a mitigating
statement exampling everything and asking for a reduced fine.
Or if I plead not guilty, and send the statement? But will that
just open a can of worms?
#Post#: 117934--------------------------------------------------
Re: England - Failure to Identify driver, any chance to reduce
fine?
DIR By: Gilan02
Date: May 6, 2026, 10:33 am
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I would be interested to know why you don't care about the ban,
the insurance companies will not look favourably on the fail to
furnish.
#Post#: 117935--------------------------------------------------
Re: England - Failure to Identify driver, any chance to reduce
fine?
DIR By: triflemail218222
Date: May 6, 2026, 10:39 am
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--- Quote from: Gilan02 link ---
>
> I would be interested to know why you don't care about the
ban, the insurance companies will not look favourably on the
fail to furnish.
>
--- End Quote ---
Well to be honest, I have just accepted it. I believe if I plead
guilty or not, I have totted up the points. So I am going to be
banned either way. I am not driving right now. I can survive
where I am without driving.
#Post#: 117957--------------------------------------------------
Re: England - Failure to Identify driver, any chance to reduce
fine?
DIR By: ManxTom
Date: May 6, 2026, 2:02 pm
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So did this form they sent you a link to not have anything to
identify it by?
Like a name or a title...?
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