Police error leads to charges being dropped

Defendant 'lucky to escape' prosecution

A court’s heard police have changed their procedures after charges against a woman from St John’s were dropped.

Jemma Louise Moore, of Tynwald Close, appeared before magistrates at Douglas courthouse to face allegations of speeding and having no insurance.

But prosecution advocate Richard Butters withdrew both charges, explaining one had already been dealt with and the other couldn’t proceed.

He told the hearing a technicality meant he couldn’t offer any evidence she’d had no insurance on 25 August last year.

Mr Butters said the 26-year-old had already been issued with a fixed penalty notice for speeding, leading to a fine and three penalty points.

And he told magistrates a technical legal reason meant the other charge, having no insurance, had to be dropped.

The court heard police had made fundamental changes to procedures, and promised the same mistake wouldn’t be made in future.

Dismissing the charge, magistrates told Moore driving with no insurance was a very serious matter and she’d been lucky to escape prosecution on a technicality.