Free Traffic Legal Advice

Court proceedings must be instigated within 6 months of the date of offence. This means that the SJPN and Written Charge must be issued by that date. They are generally served a few weeks later, after the get round to collating the initial evidence bundle.

She will not have to attend court. The SJPN gives her three choices:

1. Plead guilty and do not attend court
2. Plead guilty and attend court
3. Plead not guilty

Her attendance is unlikely to make any significant difference to the outcome so unless she particularly wants to attend she can choose option 1.

She should respond to the SJPN by pleading guilty. In the "mitigation" section she can ask the court to consider sentencing her at the fixed penalty equivalent (£100 and 3 points). Magistrates have guidance to suggest they should consider doing this in some circumstances:

“Where a penalty notice could not be offered or taken up for reasons unconnected with the offence itself, such as administrative difficulties outside the control of the offender, the starting point should be a fine equivalent to the amount of the penalty and no order of costs should be imposed. The offender should not be disadvantaged by the unavailability of the penalty notice in these circumstances.”

Though it was her fault that the matter had to proceed to court, she may encounter  a kindly Single Justice who will cut her some slack. Otherwise she will be sentenced in accordance with the normal sentencing guidelines.

Thank you. Good she doesn't need actually attend. My brothers trying to help her with the forms now, apparently she has to fill out loads of stuff about income and assets etc. Shes retired and doesn't have an income except for her pension
Do you know what the fine levels are?
Thank you

Do you know what the fine levels are?

They are in bands according to the speed and speed limit - details that you have decided not to trouble us with.