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   DIR Return to: Speeding and other criminal offences
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       #Post#: 37473--------------------------------------------------
       Failure to notify and driving ban appeal
   DIR By: Just234
       Date: September 19, 2024, 3:23 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I have just realised I’ve got a failure to notify of driver for
       a speeding offence which I did not know about after checking my
       drivers license online. 6 points and a fine.
       So I’m looking for advice on how to appeal.
       I’ve read all about the statutory declaration but the process
       seems to have changed since that was all written as it’s all
       done online on a form.
       I was given a number to call who sent me a link for an online
       form to complete which I had various options to select to
       appeal.
       It asks on the form would I like to request to reopen my case or
       make a statutory declaration that I did not know about the case.
       So I’ve chosen the latter.
       Then it asks do I plead
       a,guilty or
       b,not guilty or
       c, both guilty/not guilty to more than one charge.
       (I did not know about any of the charges against me as we don’t
       receive some of the mail delivered at our house through a
       combination of no mailbox in the property with communal hallway
       where mail is delivered to/ transient flat residents/non
       residents residing here/ fallout with neighbours and police
       involvement all of which I can evidence of chasing up mail, and
       emails requesting to companies for email correspondence only.
       So I would plead not guilty to the charge of failure to notify
       on the basis I did not receive the notice sent.
       The speeding charge I was driving my son to hospital - can I
       plead not guilty? Or do I plead guilty and ask for mitigating
       circumstances?
       The form then asks for information regarding your plea- do I
       have to fill in every detail here as to why I feel I’m not
       guilty/guilty?
       It later on asks for any further information and a place to
       upload any documentarian. Do I have to upload all evidence here
       to support my claim? Ie. Show emails regarding lost mail etc?
       Hospital paperwork?
       There was a driving ban issued on the same day the points were
       added to my license but it’s not mentioned in the paperwork
       supplied in the email but is shown on my license online  -
       driving ban due to totting up of points
       How do I address this? Do I just add this in to ‘ further
       information’?
       Once my form is completed it says they will then decide whether
       to reopen the case - will the ban be stayed until a court
       hearing? Do I need to request the court to lift the driving ban?
       They said it takes 6 months currently to get a court hearing,
       but can be treated as urgent because of the ban but no
       timescales were given for urgent cases.
       I can’t work without my license so it’s vital to me.
       Any help would be much appreciated.
       And given the lost mail can I request further mail to be sent to
       a different address? Or email?
       #Post#: 37490--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Failure to notify and driving ban appeal
   DIR By: The Rookie
       Date: September 19, 2024, 6:18 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: Just234 link ---
       >
       > So I’m looking for advice on how to appeal.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       You don't, as you then correctly say you submit a statutory
       declaration which is NOT an appeal.
       --- Quote from: Just234 link ---
       >
       > So I would plead not guilty to the charge of failure to notify
       on the basis I did not receive the notice sent.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       What matters is not whether you didn't receive it but whether it
       was served or not, as a number of items of post (as least 3,
       more likely 4) were not received by you it suggests the Police
       did not have the correct address for you (despite what you say,
       as 4 items going missing is 'unlikely' I would suggest), perhaps
       you moved and forgot to update the V5c registration document
       address with the DVLA?
       --- Quote from: Just234 link ---
       >
       > The speeding charge I was driving my son to hospital - can I
       plead not guilty? Or do I plead guilty and ask for mitigating
       circumstances?
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       Of course you can (and should currently) plead not guilty,
       whether you then continue that is a different matter, if the
       S172 notice was properly served (and you have to prove it
       wasn't) you will currently be found guilty of the more onerous
       S172 offence, as such offering to plead guilty to the speeding
       (when you can't then offer a defence) in exchange for the S172
       being dropped seems the pragmatic option.
       Driving your son to hospital is, of itself' meaningless unless
       you are suggesting it was some form of an emergency, obviously
       to a routine appointment is no different top driving to a book
       shop.
       --- Quote from: Just234 link ---
       >
       > There was a driving ban issued on the same day the points were
       added to my license but it’s not mentioned in the paperwork
       supplied in the email but is shown on my license online  -
       driving ban due to totting up of points
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       Very unfortunate, this is where applying online is going to
       probably be bad, if you contact the court in person and speak to
       someone you may get your hearing expedited, whatever you put in
       an online application will probably not be looked at until it
       reaches the front of the queue - in some time from now.
       #Post#: 37514--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Failure to notify and driving ban appeal
   DIR By: andy_foster
       Date: September 19, 2024, 7:38 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: The Rookie link ---
       >
       > [quote author=Just234 link=topic=3196.msg37473#msg37473
       date=1726734201]
       > So I’m looking for advice on how to appeal.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       You don't, as you then correctly say you submit a statutory
       declaration which is NOT an appeal.[/quote]
       Pedantic much?
       Technically, the OP could appeal to the Crown Court, but a stat
       dec is a far better solution.
       Currently, the OP has been convicted of an offence in his
       absence and received a totting ban. He is seeking to challenge
       this conviction. If he was asking whether to do a stat dec,
       appeal to the crown court or appeal by way of case stated, stat
       dec, not appeal would be an appropriate response, but in the
       context of his post, the distinction is pedantry.
       --- Quote from: Just234 link ---
       > [quote author=Just234 link=topic=3196.msg37473#msg37473
       date=1726734201]
       > So I would plead not guilty to the charge of failure to notify
       on the basis I did not receive the notice sent.
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       What matters is not whether you didn't receive it but whether it
       was served or not, as a number of items of post (as least 3,
       more likely 4) were not received by you it suggests the Police
       did not have the correct address for you (despite what you say,
       as 4 items going missing is 'unlikely' I would suggest), perhaps
       you moved and forgot to update the V5c registration document
       address with the DVLA?[/quote]
       Spouting bollox after being pointlessly pedantic is not a good
       look!
       There are 2 potential "defences" (for practical purposes) to the
       s. 172 charge - whether the notice was served, and whether it
       was reasonably practicable to provide the information. Not
       receiving the notice is not in itself a complete defence, but if
       the circumstances were such that it would not have been
       reasonably practicable for the OP to ensure that such notices
       were brought to his attention and he was not aware of it, then
       it was not reasonably practicable to provide the information.
       --- Quote from: Just234 link ---
       > [quote author=Just234 link=topic=3196.msg37473#msg37473
       date=1726734201]
       > The speeding charge I was driving my son to hospital - can I
       plead not guilty? Or do I plead guilty and ask for mitigating
       circumstances?
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       Of course you can (and should currently) plead not guilty,
       whether you then continue that is a different matter, if the
       S172 notice was properly served (and you have to prove it
       wasn't) you will currently be found guilty of the more onerous
       S172 offence, as such offering to plead guilty to the speeding
       (when you can't then offer a defence) in exchange for the S172
       being dropped seems the pragmatic option.[/quote]
       I agree that based on what the OP has told us, he should plead
       not guilty to both charges. It is uncertain from his account
       whether he has sufficient information to enable him to plead
       guilty (in theory you cannot plead guilty to an offence without
       knowing what the charge is and what material facts are being
       alleged - because that is what you are pleading guilty to) -
       although that is largely academic.
       Some areas send guidance with the SJPN stating that if the
       accused pleads guilty to one of the offences, the other will
       automatically be dropped. If the OP has been provided with such
       guidance, then it might be advantageous to "do the deal" at the
       earliest opportunity, or not - depending on the strength of his
       defences if the charges went to trial.
       The fact that the OP was taking his son to hospital is not in
       itself a [complete] defence. It depends on the circumstances. I
       am not going to hypothesise about what possible circumstances
       might constitute a defence - we apply the law to the facts, not
       the other way round.
       There is also the question of whether the OP could be asked
       whether he was driving when defending the s. 172 charge, or
       whether inferences could be made. However, if the OP's defence
       to the s. 172 relies largely on his credibility, running a
       technical defence to the speeding charge may not be helpful.
       --- Quote ---
       > Driving your son to hospital is, of itself' meaningless unless
       you are suggesting it was some form of an emergency, obviously
       to a routine appointment is no different top driving to a book
       shop.
       --- End Quote ---
       That.
       --- Quote from: Just234 link ---
       > [quote author=Just234 link=topic=3196.msg37473#msg37473
       date=1726734201]
       > There was a driving ban issued on the same day the points were
       added to my license but it’s not mentioned in the paperwork
       supplied in the email but is shown on my license online  -
       driving ban due to totting up of points
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       Very unfortunate, this is where applying online is going to
       probably be bad, if you contact the court in person and speak to
       someone you may get your hearing expedited, whatever you put in
       an online application will probably not be looked at until it
       reaches the front of the queue - in some time from now.
       [/quote]
       Also, that.
       The ban has been imposed by a court of law. Unless and until a
       court of law quashes or suspends the ban, you are banned -
       regardless of what defence you may be able to present. The stat
       dec would set aside the conviction and sentence, but you are
       banned until then - unless you can get a court to suspend it
       before then.
       #Post#: 37528--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Failure to notify and driving ban appeal
   DIR By: Just234
       Date: September 19, 2024, 8:39 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Thankyou for all of the above
       Really grateful
       So just to clarify
       Proving that I didn’t receive my mail is a mountain clime I
       guess even with a dated solicitors email demonstrating this
       exact issue and request for email correspondence due to mail
       going missing….?
       I do know the full details of the offence I’ve been charged with
       as all the information was supplied in email from the court
       along with the form link.
       The only reason why I know it was me driving the vehicle on that
       particular day was because my son broke both bones in his leg
       and it was an emergency run to hospital. It wasn’t the best idea
       to take him in the car in hindsight but he was in so much pain
       with morpheme and gas and air administered when we got to A&e it
       was a absolutely traumatic time and will save you the gory
       details.
       I think I could provide enough to the court to prove this was
       extreme circumstances and not a normal appointment or day having
       had a clear license for 7 years.
       The other question was about the amount of information I add to
       the online form- do I write it all out as if presenting my full
       case to the court?
       The form gives no guidance at all on this.
       I’ve spoken to the court and they’ve said submit the online form
       and then it will be expedited due to the ban. I just have to
       ring the court back in about 2 weeks.
       #Post#: 37612--------------------------------------------------
       Timescales for Speeding and failed to notify court action 
   DIR By: Just234
       Date: September 20, 2024, 7:15 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Please could anyone clarify the timescales for me for the
       following
       Speeding offence recorded on 01/04/23
       Failed to Notify of drivers details 29/08/23
       Summons issued 16/01/24
       I know there is a 6 month time limit but don’t know when the
       clock starts on that time limit. Is it date of speeding offence?
       Or the offence of failed to notify date?
       Please could anyone clarify
       #Post#: 37619--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Timescales for Speeding and failed to notify court action 
   DIR By: andy_foster
       Date: September 20, 2024, 8:18 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: Just234 link ---
       >
       > Please could anyone clarify
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       No. Not from the information provided in your new thread.
       Rule #1 Do not start new threads for existing cases.
       Also motoring offence prosecutions are instigated by issuing a
       written charge, not a summons, so the date of any subsequent
       summons is immaterial.
       #Post#: 37620--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Failure to notify and driving ban appeal
   DIR By: Just234
       Date: September 20, 2024, 8:50 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       My apologies on my rule break
       Please explain where the 6 month rule comes in then please if at
       all possible.
       #Post#: 37621--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Failure to notify and driving ban appeal
   DIR By: Just234
       Date: September 20, 2024, 8:53 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       And if it’s called a written charge edited to clarify -
       Speeding offence recorded on 01/04/23
       Failed to Notify of drivers details 29/08/23
       Written Charge issued 16/01/24
       #Post#: 37623--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Failure to notify and driving ban appeal
   DIR By: andy_foster
       Date: September 20, 2024, 9:40 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: Just234 link ---
       >
       > And if it’s called a written charge edited to clarify -
       >
       --- End Quote ---
       A Written Charge is called a written charge. A Summons is called
       a summons. A stale ham and mustard sandwich is called a stale
       ham and mustard sandwich.
       You have told us that a summons was issued on 16/01/2024. You
       now appear to be saying that if the thing you previously called
       a summons is actually a written charge, then that was issued on
       16/01/2024. You might as well be talking about a ham sandwich.
       What was issued on 16/01/2024? Most official documents have a
       title at the top in big letters. Ham sandwiches, not so much.
       You tell us what actually happened, and we will explain how the
       law applies.
       edit: If you are looking for a potential technical defence (and
       there is nothing wrong with that), then accurate details are
       everything. You are currently banned, and potentially will
       remain so until the 6 months expires. We aren't. Who has most to
       gain from you posting clear and accurate information?
       #Post#: 37624--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Failure to notify and driving ban appeal
   DIR By: DWMB2
       Date: September 20, 2024, 9:58 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Given there is apparent confusion as to what the document issued
       on 16th January is, you may wish to show us a copy of it.
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