Motorists reminded of the serious consequences of evading speeding offences

West Mercia Police is raising awareness of the work carried out by its Roads Investigation and Prosecution Team, which investigates offences linked to Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs), commonly known as speeding tickets.

A Notice of Intended Prosecution is issued to the registered keeper of a vehicle that has been detected committing a speeding offence.  

The dedicated Roads Investigation and Prosecution Team focus on offences such as false driver nominations, cloned vehicle claims and fraudulent accounts used to evade responsibility for their speeding offence. Under ‘Operation Cheetah’, officers will use extensive police and commercial databases to identify false claims. Once recognised, these are robustly dealt with through the court system.

Motorists who attempt to avoid responsibility for a speeding offence could face investigation for perverting the course of justice, a serious criminal offence. Examples of offences include: 

Throughout this week, the team will be sharing information about its work and addressing common misconceptions about speeding offences through the West Mercia Roads Policing facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/westmerciaroads

Sergeant Lee Baker who leads the Roads Investigation and Prosecution Team in West Mercia Police said:

“Perverting the course of justice to avoid prosecution for a speeding offence is a serious crime. A conviction carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and results in a permanent criminal record, which can have a significant impact on employment and international travel.

“Points on your licence for a speeding offence are removed after four years, but a conviction for perverting the course of justice is permanent. Both the driver and anyone falsely nominated for the speeding offence could be investigated if they act together to avoid prosecution.”

The introduction of the Roads Investigation and Prosecution Team delivers on a key commitment made by the Police and Crime Commissioner in the latest budget. With reducing harm on West Mercia’s roads a central priority in the PCC's Safer Communities Plan, this investment strengthens the ability to make our roads safer for all that use them.