Once again, very grateful thanks from me, and Mr lorry driver too for all the advice we had on this forum.
Yesterday was a long and stressful day but it ended so very well.
We saw a solicitor in Grimsby ( pre-arranged) at the court before the case and I had a chance to put it to him in the way I would have liked to have put it to the court. He made notes and listened, and asked a few questions and then said he would represent in court for £150.
We agreed, and it was money well spent.
He explained that the fines could total £3000 plus Vosa's costs.
The court was surprisingly informal and not intimidating, although Mr Lorry driver was shaking and very nervous.
I had written a letter to the Magistrates as a character witness and the solicitor pointed out that I was in court, and happy to answer any questions.
They retired to consider the facts and when they came back they said they were impressed with the guilty plea and the support in court, his clean 30 year record of driving and as a result it was a condiyional discarge for 6 months on all 5 charges.
They also reduced VOSA's costs of £463 by half to £232.
That was a verdict none of us had even considered and we couldn't have hoped for better.
It was deserved and I wouldn't have been prepared to speak for him if it had been any other way.
It could have been so different had I not have listened to your advice, but it does restore faith in british justice to see Magistrates prepared to listen and try and understand a case such as this.
Thanks from us both.
Pat
Last edited by: pda on Thu 27 May 10 at 06:33
|
