Police plan not to notify wrongly convicted motorists

Police have dropped speeding charges against 200 motorists after a camera operator was caught breaking rules – but don’t plan to notify the rest, according to an insider.

A serving Kent officer said the force planned not to notify everyone caught by the operator because “files are only kept for one year and the cost would be very significant”.

He said: “If challenged they plan to roll over for each case and have a small fund to cover this.”

Our insider first leaked details of a camera operator caught “fixing speeds” to MCN in March.

At the time the force issued a statement which included: “We’ve suspended a member of police staff on a procedural matter pending an internal investigation… Kent Police is investigating the way in which speed camera equipment was used on a particular occasion.

“We cannot go into detail until enquiries have been completed… It is a procedural issue that relates to the use of the equipment… We have discontinued 120 cases as a precaution while we investigate.”

Our insider said the statement omitted to mention that the cases related to a speed camera van operated by Kent and Medway Speed Camera Partnership – a detail which may help people establish whether they are affected.   

MCN was awaiting a new statement from the force.