The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A West Pinchbeck driver who “took umbrage” at Community Speed Watch volunteers taking down his vehicle details ended up in court.
Thomas Mark Warburton (32) grabbed the clipboard of a man in the group after challenging them over what they were doing.
Prosecutor Nick Todd told Boston Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday: “Mr Warburton was driving at Barrier Bank, Cowbit, past a group of Community Speed Watch volunteers. Volunteers are given a speed gun and if they find anyone speeding they take the vehicle details and pass them to the police who send a letter.
“Clearly, Mr Warburton was apparently speeding. Mr Warburton turned around and drove back. He had taken umbrage and made a grab for the clipboard, thereby technically causing an assault but causing no injury at all.”
Warburton, of Six House Bank, had faced a charge of assault by beating but instead District Judge Peter Veits bound him over to keep the peace for six months in the sum of £100.
Mr Veits told Warburton: “None of us like having our driving criticised but at times there’s a reason for it and these volunteers are there to educate people about the importance of speeding.
“Clearly you must have been speeding and then you’ve gone back. Most sensible people would have accepted they’d been caught and continued on their way. Why did you go back?”
Warburton replied: “I didn’t know what they were doing. They pointed at my car and were writing something down.”
Mr Veits said: “The mistake you made was going back. If you’d carried on, you would have got a nice letter from the police saying this isn’t a prosecution, it’s a warning.”
The incident happened on July 8 last year.
