Cloned car reg has left me raging Mum gets points on licence after scam
Additional reporting by Jane Barrie Stacey McGinn is trying to clear her name after a crook cloned her car registration almost a year ago.
She was convicted of speeding in Lancing, West Sussex, a place she has never been, had six penalty points added to her licence and now faces a wages arrestment of £ 811.
But she was at work in Glasgow at the time of the offence.
Still, magistrates refuse to back down – or assist her by rectifying the mistake.
Instead, despite her appeals for help, they have told her to travel to England and instruct an English solicitor to fight her case.
Stacey, 33, said: “This is making me ill. My life has been turned upside down through no fault of my own. I have done nothing wrong, yet the court have the power to do what they like – they can even take my wages.”
The first she knew of the speeding fine was in July when she received a letter from Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) in Maidstone, Kent.
Stacey, of Motherwell, said: “I felt sick to my stomach when I got home from work one Friday night and found the letter.
“It upset me all weekend as the number for the enforcement centre was only manned Monday to Friday.”
She felt sure when she contacted the court that they would take her complaint seriously and rectify the unless either, fault home the firm’s toyour It’s not an came wrong . salesm got it their re upand and ask measu retaile r to to the you Speak credit note so r for a smalle a canbuy sofa. error. But accountant Stacey said: “When I cal led, I was sent round the houses. The enforcement centre gave me a number for the court in Ipswich. They then referred me on to Crawley Magistrates Court.
“Crawley couldn’t help either and told me to phone another number, which turned out to be the enforcement centre again.”
Stacey, who has a daughter Alivia, five, emailed the courts and contacted her local police.
But she said: “No one seemed able to help and kept blaming the differences in the law in England and Scotland.”
Finally she was told she’d have to complete a statutory declaration to have the case set aside so she went to her solicitor.
But magistrates then advised that she would have to instruct an English lawyer.
Stacey called me in after an attachment of earnings order was made and sent to her employer.
She said: “I’m the one being persecuted while the perpetrator has got off scot-free. I don’t have the money or time to travel to England. It’s ridiculous.”
Susan Acland-Hood, boss of HMCTS, said her department would get back to me. I am still waiting. But I will not rest until I get justice for Stacey. had to be hospitalised overnight, Petplan claimed a pre-existing condition was to blame and wouldn’t cover the cost.
Lesley called me in. She said: “Lily doesn’t have a pre-existing medical condition.”
I got on to Petplan, who apologised, removed the exclusion, settled the claim and paid £ 250 to say sorry.