Inside Justice: Case 3 - Driving while disqualified
Two police officers are patrolling Peterborough City Centre in a marked police vehicle at 9.30pm on December 31.
Two police officers are patrolling Peterborough City Centre in a marked police vehicle at 9.30pm on December 31.Two police officers are patrolling Peterborough City Centre in a marked police vehicle at 9.30pm on December 31.
Turning into a road, they see a van ahead taking a corner too quickly.
They decide to stop and question the driver, whose van is towing a food vending trailer with the logo Nigel's Nosh.
The driver tells the officers he is Nigel Smith and the van and trailer both belong to him. He asks to be allowed to get on his way quickly as he's on his way to work on one of the "busiest nights of the year".
One constable speaks to the driver about his driving and cautions him to take better care in future, while the other makes routine checks by radio.
As a result, the officers establish that Mr Smith is really Nigel Nicholson (27), who was disqualified from driving by Oxford magistrates nine weeks earlier for drunk driving.
Nicholson tells the officers: "I had to keep driving – there's no other way I can keep working. I'm a one man band and I've got three children to support.
"Before I started this business, I was unemployed for ages. It's unfair I lost my licence in the first place – I was only just over the limit and there was nothing wrong with my driving at that time. An idiot crashed into me and I was the one that ended up getting disqualified."
When the case comes before the magistrates, Nicholson enters a guilty plea at the first opportunity.
How would you sentence Nigel? Add your comments below or email news @peterboroughtoday.co.uk
You be the judge - results: Case 3 - Driving while disqualified.
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