how many points

[bond123]

hello,
i have recently recieved a court summons for my car doing a 360degrees spin from a standstill the police are calling it a doughnut ? this occured at 21:00 hours on an empty public carpark,there is cctv evidence.
how many points will i recieve for this?

thanks
bond

[bond123]

note: this is my first ever driving offence... i have been driving for 3 and a half years

[Panic Button]

Pants on fire

[Ethel]

Penalty points and a fine.
http://www.essex.police.uk/news/n_cont.php?art icleId=2963

[Buenchico]

You've not actually stated what the wording on the summons is. If (based upon Ethel's link) we are to assume that it's one of the categories of 'careless driving', a court can endorse your licence with anywhere between 3 and 9 penalty points:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLic ensing/EndorsementsAndDisqualifications/DG_100 22425

It's possible that you might receive the minimum 3 points but a court is likely to take the view that a deliberate action is more serious than a momentary lapse of attention. My guess is 6 points, plus a �200 fine, �60 court costs and a �15 payment to the victim compensation scheme.

Chris

[Panic Button]

So why do I think you are a liar?

Well I don't believe the Police would attempt to proecute someone for a dangerous act that they themselves did not witness. Particularly when it was on private land and the only evidence is on CCTV which does not prove who the driver was.

I believe they would be more likely to pay a visit to the registered keeper, put the frighteners on and have a good look at the car.

That is assuming they could read the registration plate of a moving vehicle in the dark on camera. In my experience of working in car parks that is unlikely, unless a camera operator zooms the camera in.

[Ethel]

They can and do, PB. We had a clamp down on the big car park near me, which has been used by boy racers as a race track and a skid pad.

They used the CCTV to track down the registered keepers and prosecuted them for either careless driving or refusing to name the driver, and various producer offences.

[Panic Button]

I stand corrected, and am pleased to hear it.

[bond123]

it was a public car park.. i am not ************... why would i ?? this was at 9pm.. and police came and interviewed me at the time of the event whilst i was parked up.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

so what is the actual charge you have been charged with.

[bond123]

also i never recieved a NIP letter, only the summons 2 and a half months later... does this make a difference?

[bond123]

driving without due care and attention..

[Ethel]

You didn't need a NIP letter - you were cautioned at the time, which would have included the verbal NIP.

Between 3 and 9 points. I would expect the higher end.

[bond123]

thanks ethel.. so this is not a banning offence?

[Buenchico]

From the Crown Prosecution Service website:
"The maximum penalty is a level 5 fine (=�5000). The court must also either endorse the driver's licence with between 3 and 9 penalty points (unless there are 'special reasons' not to do so), or impose disqualification for a fixed period and/or until a driving test has been passed":
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/section9/chapter_b .html#35

So disqualification is a possibility but not automatic.

Chris