Thursday morning saw two drivers, caught speeding in November, come before the city courts. A 38 year-old man was caught six months ago, driving at 160 km/h in a 90km zone on the N7; a 28 year-old woman was found speeding 174km/h in a 70 zone at the roundabout in Merl.
Ordinarily, speeding offences would not instantly lead to court but the issue with these two cases is the fact it was their second offence for speeding, with the man cautioned in May 2018 and the woman in June 2016.
The first offence was a caution; the second, an appearance in court. The judge berated both offenders for their excessive use of speed. The woman attempted to explain her infraction by blaming her mood following an argument with her boyfriend, to which the judge - perhaps sardonically - suggested counting to three for any future annoyances, rather than reckless driving. The judge also advised the woman to better observe the Highway Code, noting her previous speeding offence, and the fact she had also been caught driving whilst on the phone.
The prosecutor described the woman's speed as so excessive that the speed camera itself had been called into question, and checked for malfunctioning. As it was her third brush with the law in relation to dangerous driving, the prosecutor suggested there were underlying issues, and she should follow the Code in future so as not to receive more severe punishment. On this occasion the prosecutor recommended a suspended sentence of a nine-month driving ban.
In the other case, the man claimed he had a heart problem when questioned on his speeding, which he did not contest. He claimed he had forgotten to take medication and consequently suffered heart palpitations, and in his panic wanted to get home as fast as possible. The prosecutor declared this reaction understandable, but that the man should have called an ambulance or asked a colleague to help him get home. A suspended sentence of a six-month driving ban and a financial penalty were recommended for this case.
Both cases will receive final verdicts on 7 June.
