A woman stopped by police for holding an apple while driving was fined £60 yesterday in a case that had involved 10 court appearances.

 

Sarah McCaffery, 23, a nursery nurse from Hebburn, South Tyneside, had not taken a bite out of the apple but was holding the fruit in her right hand as she negotiated a left-hand turn on 4 December 2003.

 

She was stopped by PC Lee Butler, who issued her with a £30 fine as part of a Northumbria Police drive against food or drink at the wheel.

 

The incident led to the dispatching of a police helicopter in order to take aerial photographs and videos, as well as nine preliminary hearings.

 

Ms McCaffery was fined £60 plus £100 costs after South Tyneside magistrates found that she was not in proper control of her car.

 

Ms McCaffery's solicitor criticised Northumbria Police and the Crown Prosecution Service for ordering aerial photographs, an aerial video shot and a video recording from a police car for the trial.

Geoffrey Forrester told the bench: "Nothing illustrates the nonsense of this case more than the resources that have been thrown at it."

 

However, Northumbria Police defended the proceedings, which cost £425, excluding the aerial work.

 

A police spokesman said: "It is vital that motorists are in proper control of their vehicles at all times and are fully concentrating on their driving."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great, get burgled the police don't give a damn eat an apple and they send a bloody helicopter <_<

More PC gone wrong......

 

Motorist pulled over and quizzed... for LAUGHING at the wheel

Daily Mail.co.uk

By Chris Brooke

Last updated at 5:03 PM on 04th March 2009

 

Motorist Gary Sanders was enjoying a good giggle as he chatted over a hands-free phone to a friend on the way to work.

 

But his amusement turned to astonishment when a policeman pulled him over for...excessive laughing.

The company director was obeying the speed limit and not driving dangerously.

However, the officer who ordered him to stop at the exit to the Mersey tunnel told him without a hint of a smile: 'Laughing while driving a car can be an offence.'

 

If that had been the end of the matter then Mr Sanders, 47, would probably have laughed the whole thing off.

But he subjected him to a 35-minute grilling, with questions about everything from his ethnic group to details of distinguishing scars on his body.

And despite not being charged with an offence, he still had to waste a further 90 minutes of his time producing his driving licence and other documents at a police station.

Due to the delay Mr Sanders, the managing director of Liverpool-based Spontex Workwear, missed an important business appointment.

 

He said: 'I couldn't believe it when he told me I'd been pulled over for for laughing. I was driving very safely in the Birkenhead Tunnel and took a call from a friend on my hand-free phone.

'He said something funny and I was laughing - simple as that. I never took my eyes off the road and was in full control of the car.

'Then I noticed the police car flashing its lights and the officer signalling me to pull over. I definitely wasn't speeding so I asked what the problem was and he told me I was laughing too much.

'The officer accused me of throwing my head back in a dangerous way, which I denied since it is definitely not something I do.

'I was astonished that he could say that laughing might be an offence. What is the country coming too? I was kept there for 35 minutes answering unrelated questions like what ethnic group I belonged to and if I had any distinguishing marks scars?

'It became a bit ridiculous when he wanted to know the colour of my hair as I have alopecia and there isn't a hair on my head. When I pointed this out he asked "What colour was your hair when you had some?" It went from ludicrous to unbelievable. He definitely had a bee in his bonnet about something and I got the brunt of it.'

 

Mr Sanders said the officer eventually admitted no law had been broken, but still insisted he should show his documents to be checked.

'The police should have better things to do than harassing law-abiding people this way. I missed an important meeting and my whole day was messed up and all for nothing. Its was certainly no joke.'

 

Superintendent Kevin Hagger of the Mersey Tunnels Police said:'There is no record of the incident in the system so it seems the gentleman was just spoken to by the officer and the matter not taken any further.'

 

Solicitor Nick Freeman, dubbed Mr Loophole for his ability to clear celebrities of motoring offences in court, said laughing at the wheel could only be an offence if it caused the motorist to drive dangerously.

'If the man was swerving all over the road then the officer may have grounds to charge him with driving without due care and attention or dangerous driving,' he said.

 

Brian Gregory from the Association of British Drivers said: 'This is a shocking example of the police harassing innocent motorists simply because they are an easy target. To suggest that a driver could be prosecuted for laughing is ludicrous beyond belief.

'What next? Can we expect to hear of people being stopped for sneezing or coughing while they are at the wheel? What about the risk of listening to the radio... they might broadcast something that makes a driver laugh. Drivers have to be credited with some common sense.

'It is a fact that drivers who are happy and smiling are far safer on the roads than anyone uptight and stressed.

 

"Since the introduction of on-the-spot fines the police have become judge and jury and it's time these powers were reigned-in a little. We are all human and sometimes we cannot control involuntary things like laughter.'

I just can't believe it, have they got anything better to do, than having an aerial helicopter taking photographs of a woman holding an apple.

 

I hope she pipped them

More PC gone wrong......

 

Motorist pulled over and quizzed... for LAUGHING at the wheel

Daily Mail.co.uk

By Chris Brooke

Last updated at 5:03 PM on 04th March 2009

 

Motorist Gary Sanders was enjoying a good giggle as he chatted over a hands-free phone to a friend on the way to work.

 

But his amusement turned to astonishment when a policeman pulled him over for...excessive laughing.

The company director was obeying the speed limit and not driving dangerously.

However, the officer who ordered him to stop at the exit to the Mersey tunnel told him without a hint of a smile: 'Laughing while driving a car can be an offence.'

 

If that had been the end of the matter then Mr Sanders, 47, would probably have laughed the whole thing off.

But he subjected him to a 35-minute grilling, with questions about everything from his ethnic group to details of distinguishing scars on his body.

And despite not being charged with an offence, he still had to waste a further 90 minutes of his time producing his driving licence and other documents at a police station.

Due to the delay Mr Sanders, the managing director of Liverpool-based Spontex Workwear, missed an important business appointment.

:o FFS! This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard! What next, stopped by the police for breathing?! And whats this about questions on ethnic group and scars?! This has what to do with anything????? :angry:

:arrr: Why can't they fine the ones who smoke, use their mobile phone or put make up on whilst driving! Those are the annoying ones who p*** around and deliberately drive at their own pace because a puffing a fag is more important than actually concentrating on the road! This stupid bint at work was reversing out of the car park while chatting away on her mobile phone - the thing is she's rubbish in general but I don't know what makes her think she's any better chatting away on her phone while reversing.

 

The idiot with the apple shouldn’t have been careless but all this police attention she received was way too extreme. The police helicopter is a bit waste!

 

More PC gone wrong......

 

Motorist pulled over and quizzed... for LAUGHING at the wheel

Daily Mail.co.uk

By Chris Brooke

Last updated at 5:03 PM on 04th March 2009

 

Motorist Gary Sanders was enjoying a good giggle as he chatted over a hands-free phone to a friend on the way to work.

 

But his amusement turned to astonishment when a policeman pulled him over for...excessive laughing.

The company director was obeying the speed limit and not driving dangerously.

However, the officer who ordered him to stop at the exit to the Mersey tunnel told him without a hint of a smile: 'Laughing while driving a car can be an offence.'

 

If that had been the end of the matter then Mr Sanders, 47, would probably have laughed the whole thing off.

But he subjected him to a 35-minute grilling, with questions about everything from his ethnic group to details of distinguishing scars on his body.

And despite not being charged with an offence, he still had to waste a further 90 minutes of his time producing his driving licence and other documents at a police station.

Due to the delay Mr Sanders, the managing director of Liverpool-based Spontex Workwear, missed an important business appointment.

 

He said: 'I couldn't believe it when he told me I'd been pulled over for for laughing. I was driving very safely in the Birkenhead Tunnel and took a call from a friend on my hand-free phone.

'He said something funny and I was laughing - simple as that. I never took my eyes off the road and was in full control of the car.

'Then I noticed the police car flashing its lights and the officer signalling me to pull over. I definitely wasn't speeding so I asked what the problem was and he told me I was laughing too much.

'The officer accused me of throwing my head back in a dangerous way, which I denied since it is definitely not something I do.

'I was astonished that he could say that laughing might be an offence. What is the country coming too? I was kept there for 35 minutes answering unrelated questions like what ethnic group I belonged to and if I had any distinguishing marks scars?

'It became a bit ridiculous when he wanted to know the colour of my hair as I have alopecia and there isn't a hair on my head. When I pointed this out he asked "What colour was your hair when you had some?" It went from ludicrous to unbelievable. He definitely had a bee in his bonnet about something and I got the brunt of it.'

 

Mr Sanders said the officer eventually admitted no law had been broken, but still insisted he should show his documents to be checked.

'The police should have better things to do than harassing law-abiding people this way. I missed an important meeting and my whole day was messed up and all for nothing. Its was certainly no joke.'

 

Superintendent Kevin Hagger of the Mersey Tunnels Police said:'There is no record of the incident in the system so it seems the gentleman was just spoken to by the officer and the matter not taken any further.'

 

Solicitor Nick Freeman, dubbed Mr Loophole for his ability to clear celebrities of motoring offences in court, said laughing at the wheel could only be an offence if it caused the motorist to drive dangerously.

'If the man was swerving all over the road then the officer may have grounds to charge him with driving without due care and attention or dangerous driving,' he said.

 

Brian Gregory from the Association of British Drivers said: 'This is a shocking example of the police harassing innocent motorists simply because they are an easy target. To suggest that a driver could be prosecuted for laughing is ludicrous beyond belief.

'What next? Can we expect to hear of people being stopped for sneezing or coughing while they are at the wheel? What about the risk of listening to the radio... they might broadcast something that makes a driver laugh. Drivers have to be credited with some common sense.

'It is a fact that drivers who are happy and smiling are far safer on the roads than anyone uptight and stressed.

 

"Since the introduction of on-the-spot fines the police have become judge and jury and it's time these powers were reigned-in a little. We are all human and sometimes we cannot control involuntary things like laughter.'

 

That's just terrible. Seems to me that the Police may have targets for stopping/fining people.

Oh :lol:

I love how the police go OTT with everything :rofl:

My mate got caught at the top of the Mosque (sp??) and the police sent a helicopter, two big vans AND dogs :lol:

Oh :lol:

I love how the police go OTT with everything :rofl:

My mate got caught at the top of the Mosque (sp??) and the police sent a helicopter, two big vans AND dogs :lol:

 

tbh im not surprised! that was a stupid thing to do.... hes lucky he didnt get shot.

what a joke.

 

why waste so much money and resources chasing a women eating a f***ing apple when they should be doing what they are paid to do.

 

Protect people, prevent crime and solve it when it happens.

 

They quite obviously are doing non if they are persecuting innocent motorists. Since when did the motorist become Hitler incarnate in the UK?? Another down side to the Labour government.

 

If i ever met bast*rd blair........

What these two headlines illustrates is the sheer harrassment of motorists that is going on by the police in this country... It's not enough just to fine people and issue a simple warning, now they dispatch helicopters and what not... What next, an armed response unit....? Pity they dont spend as much time patrolling known trouble areas such as outside kebab shops or certain pubs notorious for violent incidents, maybe then they might actually prevent a crime occurring, maybe even stop some kid or some decent citizen being stabbed by 'hoodies'.... <_<

 

And then they drop far more serious cases such as the one in another thread about the teenager who was being exploited by an "escort agency"....

 

Who's interests are the police really serving these days.....? Certainly not the ordinary man or woman in the street....

tbf, if the woman in the first post ran some kid over

 

you'd all be going mad about it, wanting apples banned from entering cars, and so forth

I better watch out for the traffic gestapo every time I change gear now :rolleyes: after all that does involve taking hand off steering wheel