Best thing to be if caught over the limit is a policeman!

Convicted Driver Insurance
I am not saying what might have been put forward in this case, but I am certain that as soon as the words “police officer” are mentioned, that is where the story is going to be centred on!
 
DonkeyKong said:
if It makes any difference to this discussion at all... I was not caught driving. I was asleep in my car. I was prosecuted for drunk in charge AND drunk driving. They dropped the drunk in charge and went with drink driving. This is because I admitted that I must have drunk drove to get to the place I was asleep. So, Mr Policeman was ABOUT to drink drive. And I must have done. Neither of us was caught actually drink driving. It’s just semantics. I did drink drive. That’s why admitted it. But this guy was going to as well.
Click to expand...
I don't know the specifics of your case but when you are charged with two alternative offences where you can't be convicted for both it's normally to do exactly what I described, do a plea bargain on the day where you agree to plead guilty for the less serious offence if they drop the more serious one.

Although it looks strange to have two charges they do it because you are not meant to add charges on the day, but they can drop them.

The whole idea is, if course, because most people would agree that if you don't actually move the car DD is usually too serious a charge. It's encompassed only to cover people who have obviously driven even if they aren't driving when the police arrive.

If you don't do a plea bargain then the prosecutor can go for whatever charge they fancy - the bargain works because you have something they want: a guilty plea for one of the offences.

As @price1367 has said the default sentence for drunk in charge is ten points, the question for the judge was why should be ban the defendant, not why shouldn't he. You would have been in the same position if found guilty of drunk in charge rather than DD.
 
Rosie said:
Now, this kind of thing really annoys me... it really shouldnt be "one rule for one and another rule for the rest of us".... in the past 37 months while Ive been banned ive read umpteen news articles that have really p**d me off... people who flipped their cars with their kids inside, people whove crashed into hotels causing thousands of pounds worth of damage, people drink driving doing 70 in a school zone at 1pm in the afternoon... and they received more than half the ban i got and mine was late night, quiet road, no people, no crash, no injuries....
no justice! lol..
Not belittling what ive done by any means, but the vast range of decisions magistrates and judges seem to make for drink driving sometimes borders on ludicrous.. I really DO get the impression that they waddle off to a room and just say "ok what shall we give this one then?" and a lot depends on their mood on the day
Click to expand...
 
Hello, I think it depends on the court you attend, I attended Northallerton Mags, I failed the evidential test which the police said was a failure to consent, the court gave me 12 months probation, DVLA medical, £395 fine, 36 month ban, I also got myself 11 points, I have been careful over the last two years after getting my licence back, o'h and I lost the most beautiful woman in the world to terminal cancer...
 
You see, it was the news that my wife had terminal cancer that sent me off the rails, I know it was up to me not to drive, but they would not take into account mitigating circumstances.
I have paid dearly, I still feel the guilt of what I had done, I am still having trouble securing a full time job now, I am registered with agencies, but the work is not regular. The drink drive charge was 06/07/2015, my wife passed away on 12/10/2016.
 
Three years ago I walked to a pub in Portishead which was very near to the Avon & Somerset Police HQ.
There was a big party going on with loads of people having a good time.
They were consuming loads of alcohol and getting quite drunk.
I spoke to a few of them and they informed me that they were off duty Police officers having a celebration.
Anyway, they were all very nice and friendly which was great.
However, when the party was over I watched them get into their cars and drive home.
Most of them were considerably drunk and probably way above the drink drive limit.
I therefore assume that the Police are above the law and can do as they wish.
Seems to be a case of "don't do as I do. do as I tell you"
Pity that the Police don't respect the laws they enforce on the rest of us.
Some people think the UK has become a Police state and my experience seems to enforce that view.
 
Why did you not call 999 in that case?

I'm no fan of the police, undoubtedly some of the time they are thick as thieves. But it always seems unlikely to me that they routinely commit criminal offences when one conviction will probably end their career.

There was a story in my local rag about a police officer who lay on the bonnet if a cop car holding a cardboard bottle of champagne at New Year. I'm sure if they run that they would happily run a story about s load of p*ssed coppers driving home after their Christmas party.
 
Hi Tipsy Nurse.
There is no point of reporting the Police to the Police. I am astonished that you think otherwise.
Here is another true story.
Around two years after I got my licence back after a 12 month disqualification, I was in a working mans club
in Bristol.
I noticed the Police officer who had taken me to court for drink driving arrive on a motorbike.
He signed in as a guest to play skittles with a visiting skittle team and he used a fake name.
I watched him play skittles for two hours, and he drank six pints.
He then left on his motorbike and drove home.
The Police are therefore above the law and don't respect the laws they enforce.
This also proves beyong any doubt that the Police are dishonest and not to be trusted.
 
Another interesting story.
When I was pulled in for no reason and failed the breath test by a small margin, the Police officer said
"I can't fault your driving, it's excellent".
However, two months later went I attended court the Police stated that my driving standard was impaired.
I think that proves that the Police are liers beyond all doubt.
I wonder why they didn't say in court that my driving was excellent but unfortunately I failed the breath test.
The Police didn't need to lie to get a conviction, so why did they I ask myself.
Tipsy Nurse you have said on a recent post that the Police seldom lie. I think otherwise from personal experience.
 
If you google the words “police officer drink driving” you will see one case where a police officer ‘got off’ a drink driving charge, but engaged the so called ‘Mr Loophole’ solicitor nick Freeman who has done the same for famous people and I am aware that he starts at £10,000 in fees.
You then see 8 cases where a police officer has been found guilty of drink driving, having been dealt with by his colleagues. Not let off, no cover up and no lies. That is just on the first page. I have had police officers (well ex ones as they are all sacked) on my drink driving courses.
These are not just one persons experience which is blown up into proof that “all police are liars” and “the police are above the law”. It is clear evidence that the police can expect to be treated just as harshly as other motorists if found to be drink driving.
Not there may be an occasion where a police officer is found over the limit on an isolated country road by an officer who is a friend, and not arrested but taken home but it would be a brave Officer these days if they had plenty to drink and then drove on the basis that “if I am stopped my mates will let me off.”
Any Officer doing that is risking their own career if found out, and the officer drinking would have to hope that it was a mate who found him, not a Traffic Crew or some officer who did not know him and would not put his own career on the line to save someone just because they were in the police.
Yes, police stations used to have police clubs 30 years ago. Yes the CID used to adjourn to the local pub after work to “review the day.” That does not happen now but you will always get a police officer who drinks and makes a bad decision to drive. Like any other profession they make bad decisions after drinking, but they suffer the sonseauences like anyone else.
 
Milton said:
Hi Tipsy Nurse.
There is no point of reporting the Police to the Police. I am astonished that you think otherwise.
Here is another true story.
Around two years after I got my licence back after a 12 month disqualification, I was in a working mans club
in Bristol.
I noticed the Police officer who had taken me to court for drink driving arrive on a motorbike.
He signed in as a guest to play skittles with a visiting skittle team and he used a fake name.
I watched him play skittles for two hours, and he drank six pints.
He then left on his motorbike and drove home.
The Police are therefore above the law and don't respect the laws they enforce.
This also proves beyong any doubt that the Police are dishonest and not to be trusted.
Click to expand...
I agree with you, as I said for the most part they are thick as thieves. I don't agree the courts necessarily give them an easy time though.

The chap who knocked me off my bike whilst overtaking on the wrong side of the road at circa 40mph in a 30mph zone, then left the scene before police arrived, was a Thames Valley Police officer.

Despite the witnesses at the scene giving the car reg and description, plus the car was damaged, they didn't go to his address or ask for an interview at any stage.

They were given CCTV the next day showing the collision and 50m road either side.

First report they said I "significantly contributed" to the accident by riding into the car. I'd actually braked and stopped at the time of the collision so significantly contributed presumably amounted to not being able to fly vertically upwards.

Complained and they said they had got the wrong location by mistake.

Second report sent at 2.30pm on the last day of the six months they have to prosecute. They said they didn't actually think there had been a collision, and if there had they weren't sure which vehicles it was.

Now that is an issue not about prosecutions, but because the speed of the impact has destroyed my wrist, I can't turn it and there isn't likely much they can do. As a nurse that is a big problem.

The insurance company initially admitted liability because of the CCTV, but you get the impression if the driver forwards them a police report saying there probably wasn't a collision they may well see it as wiggle room.

Because of that I emailed the police asking for details of the investigation under DPA. I got this reply.

Response
Thames Valley Police can neither confirm nor deny that it holds the information you requested.

To confirm or deny whether personal information exists in response to your request could publicly reveal information about an individual or individuals, thereby breaching the right to privacy afforded to persons under the Data Protection Act 2018.

Where personal information is requested that relates specifically to the applicant or a third party, anything other than a neither confirm nor deny response would inadvertently disclose personal information. This letter, however, should not be taken as confirmation that we hold the information you have requested.

Thames Valley Police takes advantage of its ability to, where appropriate, neither confirm or deny that the information requested, is or is not held. The Police Service will never disclose information which could identify investigative activity and therefore undermine their past, present and future investigations. To do so would hinder its ability to perform this function. Thames Valley Police can neither confirm nor deny that it holds information with regards to this specific investigation. Any confirmation or denial that information were or were not held may jeopardise future investigative measures or any associated legal case. Although we recognise a general benefit in confirmation or denial in the importance of transparency, overall we do not consider it appropriate to confirm or deny that information is or is not held, if to do so may impact on an investigation.
Click to expand...

I do know lots of good coppers to. However, I think undeniably there is a culture of back covering, which is understandable to some extent because I'm sure they get a lot of malicious allegations. Going back to working in supermarkets EVERY shoplifter used to accuse you of assault, which was generally ignored even though that in itself is back covering.

However, it sometimes goes too far, and complaints are investigated by some old officers in PSD which is a rubbish system.
 
TipsyNurse said:
I agree with you, as I said for the most part they are thick as thieves. I don't agree the courts necessarily give them an easy time though.

The chap who knocked me off my bike whilst overtaking on the wrong side of the road at circa 40mph in a 30mph zone, then left the scene before police arrived, was a Thames Valley Police officer.

Despite the witnesses at the scene giving the car reg and description, plus the car was damaged, they didn't go to his address or ask for an interview at any stage.

They were given CCTV the next day showing the collision and 50m road either side.

First report they said I "significantly contributed" to the accident by riding into the car. I'd actually braked and stopped at the time of the collision so significantly contributed presumably amounted to not being able to fly vertically upwards.

Complained and they said they had got the wrong location by mistake.

Second report sent at 2.30pm on the last day of the six months they have to prosecute. They said they didn't actually think there had been a collision, and if there had they weren't sure which vehicles it was.

Now that is an issue not about prosecutions, but because the speed of the impact has destroyed my wrist, I can't turn it and there isn't likely much they can do. As a nurse that is a big problem.

The insurance company initially admitted liability because of the CCTV, but you get the impression if the driver forwards them a police report saying there probably wasn't a collision they may well see it as wiggle room.

Because of that I emailed the police asking for details of the investigation under DPA. I got this reply.



I do know lots of good coppers to. However, I think undeniably there is a culture of back covering, which is understandable to some extent because I'm sure they get a lot of malicious allegations. Going back to working in supermarkets EVERY shoplifter used to accuse you of assault, which was generally ignored even though that in itself is back covering.

However, it sometimes goes too far, and complaints are investigated by some old officers in PSD which is a rubbish system.
Click to expand...
 
Gerd.lin said:
There is a club called the "Masonic" quite a few of these people are members...
Click to expand...

Whilst this might be true for senior officers, I wouldn’t rely on thinking ” I am OK to drink drive as a police officer because perhaps the traffic cop or PC Plod, new in the job, could possibly be a Mason and with a magic handshake I will not get breath tested, even if I have hit someone’s car and there are witnesses to me being drunk......”
When I was in the Police we all had to declare in writing if we were a member of the Freemasonary. I wrote saying that I objected strongly to having to declare membership of a private club, and that probably more deals were made on a golf course than in a Masons meeting....... whilst also confirming that I was not, and never had been, a Mason.
 
price1367 said:
Whilst this might be true for senior officers, I wouldn’t rely on thinking ” I am OK to drink drive as a police officer because perhaps the traffic cop or PC Plod, new in the job, could possibly be a Mason and with a magic handshake I will not get breath tested, even if I have hit someone’s car and there are witnesses to me being drunk......”
When I was in the Police we all had to declare in writing if we were a member of the Freemasonary. I wrote saying that I objected strongly to having to declare membership of a private club, and that probably more deals were made on a golf course than in a Masons meeting....... whilst also confirming that I was not, and never had been, a Mason.
Click to expand...
 
I was not saying all police are in this club, but there are also many other people like judges, lawyers, football players and the like are part of it, I know they all look after each other as my father was a master mason, I turned him down when he asked me if I wished to become a member.
 
I did have a funny handshake myself once, with a suggestion of an exciting opportunity, but I ignored the offer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Enter code DRINKDRIVING10 during checkout for 10% off
Top