Mistake on Fixed Penalty Ticket

Does a mistake on a fixed penalty ticket invalidate it?

We get lots of question from people who have spotted that there is a mistake on the fixed penalty ticket they have received from the police.

This can be in relation to a speeding matter, or a red traffic light offence, or contravening a traffic sign etc etc.

The question we get asked is whether or not the mistake on the ticket invalidates it..?

The answer is normally no !!

The fixed penalty ticket is an offer made by the police to allow you to get the matter over and done with in a quick and cost effective way.

The ticket is not a reflection of the evidence that the police have against you. Its just a summary of the offence and an indication that, if you so choose, you can deal with it by paying £60/£200 and getting 3/6 points on your licence.

The people I speak to normally argue that the ticket is defective because the police officer has put the wrong date of offence, or the wrong registration number for the vehicle, or slightly the wrong name, or maybe the wrong date of birth.

Remeber - the ticket isn't the officer's evidence.

If you reject the ticket the officer will ask for a court summons to be issued and he will draft a formal statement outlining the offence in more detail. The officer is unlikely to make the same mistake on his statement and will take the details from his pocket notebook entry.

Now -  if you take issue with the offence itself, for example, you don't accept that you were speeding, or you don't accept that you contravened the traffic light then you should ask for a court hearing and contest the allegation.

The fact that the officer has made a mistake may help you to show the court that the officer is "slapdash" in his approach and therefore the rest of his evidence is unreliable....

But - you will not win the case simply by standing up in court, accepting that you committed the offence,  but pointing out that the officer made a mistake.

The officer's job at court is to prove beyond reasonable doubt that you committed the offence in question. If he can do that a mistake on the ticket will not save you.

If you want to ask a question about your ticket then please fee free and Contact us.