It’s a scorching subject in the meanwhile and I’m anticipating to get hit up on my 10-year anniversary. Now right here’s the issue. Over Easter, I went to Spain and rented a KTM 890 Journey with a mate. I have to confess I had the mindset that the Spanish Police and authorities couldn’t do a lot to us Brits post-Brexit, so we ragged it in all places.

We have been on a ‘spirited experience’ by way of a mountain city once I noticed a velocity digicam flash. Later that night time my mate (one other police officer) laughed and stated it wasn’t unlawful in case you have been overseas! The issue I now have is the Spanish authorities have written, directing me to pay a effective. I used to be doing 87kmph in a 50kmph zone. They will need to have received my tackle from the rental firm. I’ve learn on-line that Spain can’t endorse factors on my UK licence, so I’m minded to disregard it. Nonetheless, I’m apprehensive about my revetting. What do you suppose? I might additionally add that I’m in a highway policing unit.

Reply

As you may be conscious, police vetting is important in assessing a person’s integrity and so has a robust hyperlink to public belief and confidence in policing. Subsequently, what might be ignoring the Spanish Police/authorities say about you? Leaving that query to hold for a second, I feel you’re a class-A ball bag. You’re a policeman in a highway policing unit. 50kmph zones are for built-up areas and also you’re ragging by way of it like a non-public racetrack. What would you, as a British policeman, say to the Spanish driver in case you caught them ragging by way of a British village at 54mph in a 30mph zone? I believe you’d by way of the e book at them.

Leaving apart the actual fact you’ve been an utter dipstick, it’s appropriate {that a} overseas nation can not endorse penalty factors in your UK licence. Nonetheless, nothing stops them from pursuing you for the effective within the UK or Spanish courts. I even have considerations that if you don’t pay the effective and attempt to ignore it, you would be prosecuted in a legal court docket in Spain (both with or with out your attendance), and you should have turned a easy rushing effective right into a a lot larger downside as you’ll then must declare a legal court docket conviction.

I counsel you to keep away from court docket proceedings both within the UK or in Spain as I believe which will effectively have an effect on your revetting. Virtually, my recommendation is to pay the effective. Then you’ll have to verify together with your police power if it’s a must to disclose a Spanish rushing effective throughout any revetting. Even in case you do, I believe it can unlikely make a distinction.

Andrew Prendergast

Motorbike Sport & Leisure – June 2023