Courts reject camera evidence
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• A number of automatic speeding fines have recently been thrown out by Irish courts.
Evidence from new speed trap cameras is not sufficient to prosecute speeding truckers, say judges. Instead drivers must be told by police officially that they are to be prosecuted for offences caught on GATSO video cameras.
The surveillance cameras are mounted inside unmarked police vans parked at random at the side of the road.
But alleged offenders were not properly notified of speed ing prosecution because they were not pulled in at the time, say the courts.
Under the discredited system, alleged offenders were sent a notice by ordinary post saying they would have to pay on-the-spot fines, or face court proceedings for the alleged offences.
Now the courts say either a registered letter must be sent, or a police officer must visit the alleged offender's address to give caution of the prosecution within 14 days of an alleged speeding offence.