Appeal clears officers of motorway driving charge

TWO police sergeants have been cleared of dangerous driving after reversing their cars on a motorway slip road when faced with a traffic block ahead.

Judge Paul Hoffman, sitting with two magistrates at Leeds Crown Court, dismissed the charge against West Yorkshire officers Shelton Newsham, 35 and Andrew Watson, 41, after a successful submission of no case during an appeal hearing.

He said that offence was "a non starter" since there was no evidence of them causing danger of injury to person or damage, another officer having created a "sterile zone" and stopping traffic on the slip road from the M62 eastbound to the M606.

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But the pair failed to win their appeal for reversing on a motorway on which they were also convicted by Dewsbury Magistrates in January.

They argued exemption from the Motorways Traffic Regulations on the basis although on the way to work in their private cars, they intended to offer assistance to fellow officers after seeing other motorists on a nearby slip road reversing and performing U-turns.

Police Sgt Watson told the court he and Sgt Newsham spoke on the phone about going back to offer assistance and began reversing but had no chance to identify himself or make the offer and was shocked when told they would be reported.

After hearing the two officers had already served disqualifications since January for the dangerous driving charge along with a 770 fine each and 415 costs all of which were quashed, no penalty was imposed on the reversing offence.

Judge Hoffman said it was unfortunate the disqualification had not been suspended until the appeal.

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