Speeder convicted after bragging online

[LeMarchand]

http://www.cbc.ca/can...ng-conviction658.html

"A 19-year-old man from a Toronto suburb has pleaded guilty to careless driving after boasting online that he drove 100 kilometres an hour over the speed limit on a residential street.

Vladimir Rigenco was banned from driving for six months and sentenced to 12 months probation after entering his plea Aug. 5, York Regional Police said in a statement released Tuesday.

York police were approached April 9 by an American man, who informed them of a post made on an online car forum in which Rigenco described how he drove his 2006 BMW M5S in excess of 100 km/h over the speed limit on Apple Blossom Drive in Vaughan, just north of Toronto.

According to the police release, several of those who follow the BMW 5 Series forum "lambasted" him and "proved themselves responsible by not encouraging the suspect's behaviour."

Police investigated the case and arrested Rigenco on April 16 and charged him with careless driving.

As part of his sentence, Rigenco also has to complete a remedial driving course and pay a $1,000 fine."

Please can this sort of action be taken over here, preferably starting with Jeremy Clarkson?

[New Judge]

It is most unlikely that a successful prosecution would be achieved in similar circumstances in the UK.

Details of an alleged offence published by way of an admission to an internet forum would not constitute proper evidence in a UK court. To understand why not, consider this scenario. You are sitting on a jury where the allegation is (say) dangerous driving. The only information you have is an internet posting where the defendant boasts of his driving exploits. Would you convict him?

Apart from the fact that the defendant has only to deny the allegation (perhaps suggesting his posting was a prank) I cannot imagine a UK court convicting him anyway, even if he admits the posting was genuine. There would have to be other evidence to support the charge. Maybe there was in the case in Canada and we have not been told.

[Davethedog]

I would think the law in Canada is exactly as New Judge describes our law here.

My guess is the Police went to tell him off and he confessed.

I agree about Clarkson in as far as, he infers speeding and to a degree actualy encourages it. He is never seen to do it. When he and his mates are seen to be breaking our speed limit they are either abroad, where is allowed or on private roads.