Police harassment claim as court bans motorist
A 22-year-old found guilty of careless driving told Skipton magistrates he was the victim of police harassment.
Matthew Hurst accused Skipton Police of targeting him over the past four years and said an off-duty officer must have been mistaken when he saw him “undertake” two cars on the town’s Carleton New Road at just after 8pm on March 1.
But magistrates found him guilty and banned him from driving for six months after hearing he already had six points on his licence for previous speeding and insurance offences.
Sgt Ian Spence told magistrates that he was “gobsmacked” by Hurst’s driving manoeuvre. “I see a lot of minor incidents when I’m off duty, but I considered this so serious that I chased it up as soon as I returned to duty,” he said.
He told the court last Wednesday how he witnessed Hurst in a Mitsubishi Shogun accelerate into the Magnet forecourt to pass two slow moving cars on the inside before cutting in just before the junction with Broughton Road.
He then saw the Mitsubishi turn into Morrisons supermarket, followed it and noted down its distinctive personalised numberplate – C1HPS –which the court heard was a reference to Hurst’s father’s former fish and chip business.
Hurst, who had been at Sandylands Sports Centre with Gargrave Football Club, denied he had passed the two cars and was supported by evidence given by two friends who were following him in their own cars.
“I’ve had four years of grief from Skipton Police Station that you would not believe,“ he said.
John Mewies, defending, said it would have been impossible for Hurst driving such a vehicle to make the manoeuvre in such a short distance.
The court was told Hurst had three points on his licence for speeding in 2008 and six for no insurance in 2009.
Magistrates endorsed his licence with a further five points, taking his total over the maximum 12 points and giving him an automatic six-month ban.
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He told the court last Wednesday how he witnessed Hurst in a Mitsubishi Shogun accelerate into the Magnet forecourt to pass two slow moving cars on the inside before cutting in just before the junction with Broughton Road. He then saw the Mitsubishi