Baby-dash dad stopped by fellow cop
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Baby-dash dad stopped by fellow cop
A TRAFFIC cop stopped a fellow officer who was driving home to see his sick baby – and gave him a speeding ticket.
Christopher Walker, an officer for Northumbria Police, received the call "every father dreads" when his concerned wife phoned him at work to tell him their five-day-old baby, Charlie, was seriously ill and she needed him to come home immediately.
On his way home to Boldon Mr Walker was pulled over by Pc Sean Garwood travelling at 68mph in a 30mph zone, just after midnight on March 16.
Dad-of-two Mr Walker told South Tyneside magistrates that he tried to explain the emergency to Pc Garwood, telling him he needed to get home to his wife and sick child, but said his pleas were ignored.
Instead, Pc Garwood issued him with a speeding ticket and told him he would be prosecuted.
Mr Walker pleaded guilty by post, but argued he shouldn't receive punishment for the offence due to "special reasons".
And after hearing the facts of the case, magistrates yesterday ruled Mr Walker should not be fined or given any penalty points because "he acted perfectly reasonably given the circumstances".
After the case, Mr Walker refused to comment, but his solicitor, Geoffrey Forrester, slammed Pc Garwood for not helping Mr Walker in the emergency.
Mr Forrester said: "Given that Mr Walker received a telephone call that every husband and father dreads – namely that his five-day-old baby was ill and his wife was desperately concerned for him to be at the house to give what support he could – it is unfortunate that the officer was more concerned about giving him a speeding ticket rather than helping him out in an emergency.
"The magistrates decided that, in the interest of justice, they would not punish him and show a fairness, and, above all, a humanity, which really should have been shown at the time of the incident."
The court heard Mr Walker, who was working in Gateshead when he received the call, rushed home in his silver Mitsubishi Colt.
He was caught speeding while travelling on the A184, just after he passed the Whitemare Pool junction.
The court heard the road is usually 70mph, but was temporarily restricted to 30mph for roadworks.
Mr Walker said his son Charlie had been through numerous complications since his birth, and had severe jaundice, weaknesses and eating problems in his first few days.
His concerned wife frantically called her husband saying the baby was unwell and she needed him home immediately.
Mr Walker told her to call the midwife and ambulance before he set off.
Mr Walker, who has specialist police driving training, said: "I knew I was speeding and I knew I was going to get stopped, but I didn't care, I needed to get home to my wife and child.
"I told the officer about the situation but he seemed to be ignoring me. He didn't seem interested in any way.
"He just told me I was getting a speeding ticket and I would be prosecuted for it."
Under cross examination, Pc Garwood claimed Mr Walker did not tell him about the emergency.
Caroline McGurk, prosecuting, argued the situation was not an emergency, and that Mr Walker should be given the penalty points.
Magistrates, however, said they believed Mr Walker's version of events and cleared him of any punishment.
After the case, a Northumbria Police spokesman said: "Northumbria Police has a responsibility for road safety.
"Officers dealing with incidents on the roads must take account of a number of issues and balance them.
"These include the welfare of individual drivers and the safety of other road users. In regard to this case we note the decision of the court."
A TRAFFIC cop stopped a fellow officer who was driving home to see his sick baby – and gave him a speeding ticket.
Christopher Walker, an officer for Northumbria Police, received the call "every father dreads" when his concerned wife phoned him at work to tell him their five-day-old baby, Charlie, was seriously ill and she needed him to come home immediately.
On his way home to Boldon Mr Walker was pulled over by Pc Sean Garwood travelling at 68mph in a 30mph zone, just after midnight on March 16.
Dad-of-two Mr Walker told South Tyneside magistrates that he tried to explain the emergency to Pc Garwood, telling him he needed to get home to his wife and sick child, but said his pleas were ignored.
Instead, Pc Garwood issued him with a speeding ticket and told him he would be prosecuted.
Mr Walker pleaded guilty by post, but argued he shouldn't receive punishment for the offence due to "special reasons".
And after hearing the facts of the case, magistrates yesterday ruled Mr Walker should not be fined or given any penalty points because "he acted perfectly reasonably given the circumstances".
After the case, Mr Walker refused to comment, but his solicitor, Geoffrey Forrester, slammed Pc Garwood for not helping Mr Walker in the emergency.
Mr Forrester said: "Given that Mr Walker received a telephone call that every husband and father dreads – namely that his five-day-old baby was ill and his wife was desperately concerned for him to be at the house to give what support he could – it is unfortunate that the officer was more concerned about giving him a speeding ticket rather than helping him out in an emergency.
"The magistrates decided that, in the interest of justice, they would not punish him and show a fairness, and, above all, a humanity, which really should have been shown at the time of the incident."
The court heard Mr Walker, who was working in Gateshead when he received the call, rushed home in his silver Mitsubishi Colt.
He was caught speeding while travelling on the A184, just after he passed the Whitemare Pool junction.
The court heard the road is usually 70mph, but was temporarily restricted to 30mph for roadworks.
Mr Walker said his son Charlie had been through numerous complications since his birth, and had severe jaundice, weaknesses and eating problems in his first few days.
His concerned wife frantically called her husband saying the baby was unwell and she needed him home immediately.
Mr Walker told her to call the midwife and ambulance before he set off.
Mr Walker, who has specialist police driving training, said: "I knew I was speeding and I knew I was going to get stopped, but I didn't care, I needed to get home to my wife and child.
"I told the officer about the situation but he seemed to be ignoring me. He didn't seem interested in any way.
"He just told me I was getting a speeding ticket and I would be prosecuted for it."
Under cross examination, Pc Garwood claimed Mr Walker did not tell him about the emergency.
Caroline McGurk, prosecuting, argued the situation was not an emergency, and that Mr Walker should be given the penalty points.
Magistrates, however, said they believed Mr Walker's version of events and cleared him of any punishment.
After the case, a Northumbria Police spokesman said: "Northumbria Police has a responsibility for road safety.
"Officers dealing with incidents on the roads must take account of a number of issues and balance them.
"These include the welfare of individual drivers and the safety of other road users. In regard to this case we note the decision of the court."
Seems entirely fair to me.
Plod stops someone doing 68mph in a 30, probably doesn't know whether to believe him or not so gives him a ticket. Fair enough.
Said someone goes to court, who believe his reasons for speeding and cancels the ticket. Fair play.
Is there a problem in there somewhere that I can't see?
Plod stops someone doing 68mph in a 30, probably doesn't know whether to believe him or not so gives him a ticket. Fair enough.
Said someone goes to court, who believe his reasons for speeding and cancels the ticket. Fair play.
Is there a problem in there somewhere that I can't see?
Edited by killsta on Monday 7th June 22:06
My son died from leukaemia in 2006, i was coming back from graveside shortly after his funeral and i was caught by mobile doing 35 in a 30mph zone
i explained thru solicitor the reasons, and was not fined or anything
went to a police speed awareness course, where you have to explain at the intro why you got caught, everyone went quiet after I spoke!
but fair dues they listened
i explained thru solicitor the reasons, and was not fined or anything
went to a police speed awareness course, where you have to explain at the intro why you got caught, everyone went quiet after I spoke!
but fair dues they listened
Its a question of safe speed, not reckless speed.
No its not a housing estate but if its a temp 30mph limit then its more than likely that there are blokes out working on the road in the middle of the night.
I know I would have toed it if I'd had the same call, but at the same time I would not want to be the reason that someone else got the same sort of life or death call either.
No reason that traffic plod couldnt have escorted him home and verified the facts if he needed to, even if it was after he booked him for speeding.
No its not a housing estate but if its a temp 30mph limit then its more than likely that there are blokes out working on the road in the middle of the night.
I know I would have toed it if I'd had the same call, but at the same time I would not want to be the reason that someone else got the same sort of life or death call either.
No reason that traffic plod couldnt have escorted him home and verified the facts if he needed to, even if it was after he booked him for speeding.
I don't suppose the driver was blind, and would have driven accordingly if there were people about...especially him being a trained police driver.
Still, always a few pedants (who weren't there to witness anything either) to chime in.
Most of us avoid speeding tickets through good luck...nothing else.
Still, always a few pedants (who weren't there to witness anything either) to chime in.
Most of us avoid speeding tickets through good luck...nothing else.
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