Jobs & Education4 mins ago
Man with genuine driving license sent to jail for four months...
...and he was just a passenger in the vehicle.
Bungling cops wrongly thought his photo should have been in black and white but it was in colour. So he was arrested for having a fake licence. He was charged and was sent to Strangeways until the DVLA got around to confirming it was real, FOUR MONTHS later.
Meanwhile, they are letting murders and rapists out early because the prisons are over crowded. And what a terrible waste of money and resources, not to mention the compensation he will receive. And you can bet no one will be suspended or lose their job for such gross incompetence.
How much would you want for four months in jail, if you were mistakenly charged?
Bungling cops wrongly thought his photo should have been in black and white but it was in colour. So he was arrested for having a fake licence. He was charged and was sent to Strangeways until the DVLA got around to confirming it was real, FOUR MONTHS later.
Meanwhile, they are letting murders and rapists out early because the prisons are over crowded. And what a terrible waste of money and resources, not to mention the compensation he will receive. And you can bet no one will be suspended or lose their job for such gross incompetence.
How much would you want for four months in jail, if you were mistakenly charged?
Answers
I suspect that there is something more to this than what is reported.
Even if some rookie cop seemed to think that passport photo were black & white, why did his charge sergeant also think the same, not to mention the CPS.
Even if some rookie cop seemed to think that passport photo were black & white, why did his charge sergeant also think the same, not to mention the CPS.
10:21 Wed 22nd Feb 2012
There is absolutely *no* suggestion that he was the driver of the vehicle. None. That his 'guilt' as to the parking offence is now the subject of the discussion rather than the matter of his 4 months wrongfull imprisonment is regrettable.
I'll say it again, all of his papers were legitimate and in order!
I'll say it again, all of his papers were legitimate and in order!
footie, you haven't practised in the criminal law, I'm guessing ! Some people have an unjustified fear of police. And sometimes, regrettably, their fear is justified, though they have done nothing wrong. Though 'attempting to remove himself' from a passenger seat, or similar words, may, of course, mean no more than the person struggled with the seatbelt . Police officers do have a way with the English language still, though they have long abandoned 'I was moving on foot in a southerly direction' and the like.
I am only trying to be objective rather than subective here and 'go with the flow' of the discussion. I know very little about this case except from what I have read on here. If indeed the man was wrongly imprisoned for holding what transpired to be a valid driving licence (note the correct spelling!) then of course it is an abominable error on behalf of the system.
If however, there are other reasons as to why this man was held, then these matters may have had to be examined fully, even it it took the authorities four months to do so.
I think his best advice (other than to claim compensation for his wrongful detention!) to avoid being apprehended by police in future for having a driving licence with a colour photograph is to apply to DVLA for one in keeping with the current regulations ( ie with a black-and-white photograph). The DVLA evidently do have a colour photograph of him on their system as they issued him with a driving licence (apparently from before 2007). I believe there is no cost involved for an exchange licence.
If however, there are other reasons as to why this man was held, then these matters may have had to be examined fully, even it it took the authorities four months to do so.
I think his best advice (other than to claim compensation for his wrongful detention!) to avoid being apprehended by police in future for having a driving licence with a colour photograph is to apply to DVLA for one in keeping with the current regulations ( ie with a black-and-white photograph). The DVLA evidently do have a colour photograph of him on their system as they issued him with a driving licence (apparently from before 2007). I believe there is no cost involved for an exchange licence.
The man tried to prove whom he was by producing his licence. It was deemed to be false. His other 'proof of evidence' was summarily dismissed, too, it seems.
Then when he appeared at court.......he couldn't prove who he was or where he lived (..any guesses why that is!!!!!) and as a result was considered to be a flight risk and repeatedly denied bail. He had to remain in Strangeways until the matter was sorted out, some 4 months...4 months!!! later.
Someone could have walked from Manchester to DVLA several times to establish the facts!!
Then when he appeared at court.......he couldn't prove who he was or where he lived (..any guesses why that is!!!!!) and as a result was considered to be a flight risk and repeatedly denied bail. He had to remain in Strangeways until the matter was sorted out, some 4 months...4 months!!! later.
Someone could have walked from Manchester to DVLA several times to establish the facts!!
I believe footieshorts has got it about right here when he said /// "I am only trying to be objective rather than subective here and 'go with the flow' of the discussion". ///
But no one is allowed to take an opposite view to some on AB. regardless of who is right or who is wrong.
But in the meantime that is all I have to add at the present time, since it seems that there is much about this case that hasn't yet been reported.
So I will patiently wait for all the true fact to come out, and to see who has got it right, but unlike others I will not take a 'knee jerk' response over this until then.
But rest assured I will condemn those responsible if mistaken have been made, and apologise myself that I got it wrong, let's hope others will find equal courage to apologise if they got it wrong.
But no one is allowed to take an opposite view to some on AB. regardless of who is right or who is wrong.
But in the meantime that is all I have to add at the present time, since it seems that there is much about this case that hasn't yet been reported.
So I will patiently wait for all the true fact to come out, and to see who has got it right, but unlike others I will not take a 'knee jerk' response over this until then.
But rest assured I will condemn those responsible if mistaken have been made, and apologise myself that I got it wrong, let's hope others will find equal courage to apologise if they got it wrong.
<<I will condemn those responsible if mistaken have been made>>
Phew! that's all right then. We can all rest easy in our beds.
If only everyone was as courageous, noble and decent as Old Git the World would be a better place.
If there isn't one already perhaps we should start a collection for some kind of statue or at least lobby for a Blue Plaque to go onto the bungalow or Care Home exterior.
Phew! that's all right then. We can all rest easy in our beds.
If only everyone was as courageous, noble and decent as Old Git the World would be a better place.
If there isn't one already perhaps we should start a collection for some kind of statue or at least lobby for a Blue Plaque to go onto the bungalow or Care Home exterior.
By the way, there must be millions of people who still hold driving licences from before 2007, that are either the old-fashioned fold-up paper sort or are the plastic photocard licences with colour photographs.
If this case was solely based on the fact that the man produced a driving licence with a colour photograph as ID, then there would be many many more instances of police alleging that driving licences were invalid when people have produced licences with colour photographs. As this case has made news, we can safely assume that people are not ordinarily arrested just for producing driving licences with colour photographs!
A driving licence is now valid for ten years, though one's entitlement to drive is valid until the day before one's 70th birthday. Licences are required to be renewed every ten years, or every three years if the person is over 70 and there are no health issues. They are also renewed when submitted for change of name or address, after a period of disqualification or to have endorsements added.
If this case was solely based on the fact that the man produced a driving licence with a colour photograph as ID, then there would be many many more instances of police alleging that driving licences were invalid when people have produced licences with colour photographs. As this case has made news, we can safely assume that people are not ordinarily arrested just for producing driving licences with colour photographs!
A driving licence is now valid for ten years, though one's entitlement to drive is valid until the day before one's 70th birthday. Licences are required to be renewed every ten years, or every three years if the person is over 70 and there are no health issues. They are also renewed when submitted for change of name or address, after a period of disqualification or to have endorsements added.
AOG
You have not attempted to answer the question, you have just disputed the known facts.
1. // how come an asylum seeker managed to get himself a British driving licence, perhaps this was the false document he got jailed for //
Answer: Asylum seeker can have a licence, and the DVLA have confirmed it is genuine.
2. // Who says he was just a passenger? //
Answer: The police. They called him a passenger and never claimed he was driving
3. // I may be mistaken, and asylum seekers are allowed driving licences, but apparently no more. //
Answer you are mistaken. Asylum seekers are allowed to keep their driving licence.
4. // How do you know that he is not a FAILED asylum seeker, who is still fighting extradition? //
Answer: Because he is referred as an Asylum SEEKER in all the reports including the DM one 94 times). If he had his application turned down it would say so.
5. // Yes that is correct the car was double parked, but how do we know that he was in fact just the passenger and not the driver? //
Answer: see 2 above
6. //unlike others I will not take a 'knee jerk' response over this //
Answer: PMSL
You have not attempted to answer the question, you have just disputed the known facts.
1. // how come an asylum seeker managed to get himself a British driving licence, perhaps this was the false document he got jailed for //
Answer: Asylum seeker can have a licence, and the DVLA have confirmed it is genuine.
2. // Who says he was just a passenger? //
Answer: The police. They called him a passenger and never claimed he was driving
3. // I may be mistaken, and asylum seekers are allowed driving licences, but apparently no more. //
Answer you are mistaken. Asylum seekers are allowed to keep their driving licence.
4. // How do you know that he is not a FAILED asylum seeker, who is still fighting extradition? //
Answer: Because he is referred as an Asylum SEEKER in all the reports including the DM one 94 times). If he had his application turned down it would say so.
5. // Yes that is correct the car was double parked, but how do we know that he was in fact just the passenger and not the driver? //
Answer: see 2 above
6. //unlike others I will not take a 'knee jerk' response over this //
Answer: PMSL
footieshorts, people aren't normally arrested for having colour photos on their licences, because it's legal to do so. This man seems to have been arrested because he was unlucky enough to encounter police who didn't know the law.
What has made headlines isn't the fact of being arrested (mistaken arrests aren't uncommon) but the fact that he was locked up for four months, the fact that neither police nor CPS seem to have checked the evidence despite it being their job to so so, and the fact that he was innocent.
What has made headlines isn't the fact of being arrested (mistaken arrests aren't uncommon) but the fact that he was locked up for four months, the fact that neither police nor CPS seem to have checked the evidence despite it being their job to so so, and the fact that he was innocent.
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