I received a letter in the post at the end of March to say I'd been caught speeding in my car in England (38mph in a 30mph zone). I returned the letter the same day notifying them I was the driver. I've got a clean licence so was hoping to be offered a speed awareness course. I didn't send it recorded delivery stupidly.
After a few weeks I hadn't heard anything. I googled how long it should take for a fine to come through and read that the police have up to 6 months. I didn't really think much more of it. Fast forward to yesterday, and a letter arrived in the post. I assumed it was the fine (finally) but it's actually a letter advising me I'm being prosecuted for the speeding offence AND failing to notify the police who the driver of the vehicle was.
The police claim they didn't receive my letter saying I was the driver, and that they sent me a reminder a month later (which I definitely didn't receive). I know that sounds completely implausible, but it's 100% the truth!
I'm now panicking that I've gone from possibly being able to do a speed awareness course and keep a clean licence, to getting anywhere up to 9 points on my licence, a big fine and a criminal offence.
Stupidly I panicked and I've already entered a guilty plea for the speeding offence and a not guilty plea for the s172 offence online, with a narrative detailing exactly what happened. I've since read the guidance on here that says if you plead not guilty to both then there may be a chance you can plead down the s172 if you accept the speeding fine.
Do I need to ring up and change my guilty plea to not guilty for both?