Police state?

Sir,

As a further example of the present day police methods to obtain convictions may I please quote my recent experience.

Last month I was fined £3 and my licence endorsed for alleged speeding at a specific 58-60 m.p.h. in Park Lane. I was alone and had therefore no independent witnesses. I was stopped by a certain Constable Goodrum in the Edgware Road having travelled from Hyde Park Gate at a similar speed to other traffic (estimated at 40 m.p.h.). The constable claimed to have followed me from South Carriage Way (I was never in South Carriage Way) but he changed this to Stanhope Gate in Court. He was in fact sitting astride his motorcycle at Marble Arch the whole time. As I passed him at the top of East Carriage Road he started his motorcycle and cut across the central strip behind me and pulled me up shortly afterwards. I obtained the following testimony from him. “I have been following you at 58-60 m.p.h. from South Road. I could not stop you at Marble Arch because the was too heavy.” The reason for this second remark is obvious from my observations of his movements above. I enlisted the help of the A.A. who advised me that even if the policeman was lying I would not be believed in Court and it would only make things worse for myself. I admitted to travelling at 40 m.p.h. and should therefore plead guilty.

If this was an isolated case I would not be so incensed but in the same week an acquaintance of mine had a similar experience.

When are Courts going to realise that this sort of thing does go on and that the police are in some cases relying on the infallibility of their evidence to obtain convictions? I might add that up to this “offence” I had been driving for ten years with a clean licence.

London, N.6. –  M. Plant.