Driver’s Miss Marple court victory over the police

A HAIRDRESSER won a court case against police by crossexamining an officer with skills she picked up from TV detective Miss Marple.

Karen Bennett was wrongly given a ticket by police who claimed she was driving without a seat belt.

But instead of accepting a ‘driver awareness course’ the mother of two fought the case in a magistrates’ court.

The 56-year-old’s efforts paid off, with magistrates in Chelmsford, Essex, taking just ten minutes to clear her, meaning she avoided a fine of up to £500.

Mrs Bennett, of North Weald, said afterwards: ‘The only experience of a court I have got is television programmes like Miss Marple. I thought we would be in an office and police would read their statement out and then I would read mine.

‘But it was in court and I had to cross-examine a policeman.’

She added: ‘It all came down to me to try to prove my innocence. I wrote exactly what happened and took my own photographs of how I sat in the car.’

Describing her cross-examination of the officer, she added: ‘I said to her, “Could you tell me exactly where you were parked?” When she told me, I knew she couldn’t have seen me properly. The magistrates said the evidence I prepared was exceptional … I can’t tell you the relief.’

Essex Police said: ‘It remains our responsibility to put all cases and associated evidence before the Crown Prosecution Service … It is for the courts to decide whether someone is guilty.’

‘Exceptional evidence’