Speeding officer set for appeal

A Telford police officer, who was convicted of dangerous driving after testing a new patrol car at speeds of up to 159mph, was due to take his appeal case to London's High Court today.

Constable Mark Milton, of Bratton, Telford, immediately appealed against last year's dangerous driving conviction but later withdrew the application so his solicitor could launch an appeal on a point of law.

David Twigg, Mr Milton's solicitor, said the court's view was that a judge should not take into account specialist driver skills but he did not agree with that.

Constable Milton was found guilty at Ludlow Magistrates Court in August of dangerous driving. The case went to court after recording equipment videoed him driving a new Vauxhall Vectra at 159mph on the M54 and up to 83mph in built-up areas. Mr Milton claimed that the video equipment recorded higher speeds than those he was travelling at and that he was driving according to his training.

He was convicted following a trial but given an absolute discharge by District Judge Peter Wallis, who did not order Constable Milton to pay a fine or endorse his driving licence.

Mr Twigg said: "If we win my client's appeal on the point of law then the court may, or may not, decide that that means my client's conviction is set aside."

Mr Twigg said that today's hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice could become a landmark case and affect every trained and specialist driver in the country.