JD in Trouble...

[rez9000]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7929279.stm

Tottenham and England footballer Jermaine Defoe has denied a series of motoring offences, including letting someone use his car without insurance.


Mr Defoe, 26, from Cuffley, Hertfordshire, did not attend a hearing in Southend when it was decided the case would be sent for trial.
Another man, Ryan Edgar, 23, of east London, also denied charges which include driving without insurance.



The trial will take place before magistrates in Southend on 1 May.
Mr Defoe is charged with permitting the use of a motor vehicle without insurance, aiding and abetting the driving of a motor vehicle not in accordance with a licence, and that the vehicle was potentially dangerous because of the tinted windows.



Mr Edgar, of Plaistow, who also did not attend the hearing, is charged with using a motor vehicle without insurance, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and using a vehicle in a condition likely to cause danger.

 

[gibbs131]

Spurs players and cars should not mix.

 

[alfiespurs]

When is Defoe back? I am really missing him....

 

[Lilbaz]

I didn't know tinted windows were illegal. Eek

 

[lishiyo]

thought players got into trouble over tinted windows all the time. oh well....

at least he's not getting drunk or getting into fights or anything. i really miss jd, anyone know when he's getting back? i thought the jd + pav partnership looked like it might be quite decent, and then poor jd got his injury...

 

[PT]

I didn't know tinted windows were illegal. Eek

It is illegal beyond a certain grade of tint and none of the front windows can be tinted.

 

[worcestersauce]

So basically a perfectly decent honest man drove a car perfectly properly within the speed limits and without breaking any laws or rules and not under the influence of drink or drugs.

The car belonged to his friend who gave him permission to drive it, however because the owner had the car comprehensively insured and the driver had a license they both mistakenly believed that the man was insured to drive this car.

Why would the police stop this car anyway? Because the car had tinted windows? In fact it was only because the car had tinted windows that the police stopped the car; lets face it this is just an excuse to stop a car when there is no other reason particularly as the car was being driven perfectly properly.

So why did they really stop the car? Far be it for me to suggest it was because at least one of the occupents was black, I would not dare.

What is it with tinted windows anyway I see them all over the place, are they illegal or not? if so why aren't they just banned, if not why are people being stopped by police who surely must have something better to do?

Sounds like shitty traffic cops, and we've all met them, and a genuine mistake, and we've all made them.

People may think I am wrong in my assessment but they cannot dispute it is more realistic than any other scenario.

 

[SlickMongoose]

So basically a perfectly decent honest man drove a car perfectly properly within the speed limits and without breaking any laws or rules and not under the influence of drink or drugs.

The car belonged to his friend who gave him permission to drive it, however because the owner had the car comprehensively insured and the driver had a license they both mistakenly believed that the man was insured to drive this car.

Why would the police stop this car anyway? Because the car had tinted windows? In fact it was only because the car had tinted windows that the police stopped the car; lets face it this is just an excuse to stop a car when there is no other reason particularly as the car was being driven perfectly properly.

So why did they really stop the car? Far be it for me to suggest it was because at least one of the occupents was black, I would not dare.

What is it with tinted windows anyway I see them all over the place, are they illegal or not? if so why aren't they just banned, if not why are people being stopped by police who surely must have something better to do?

Sounds like shitty traffic cops, and we've all met them, and a genuine mistake, and we've all made them.

People may think I am wrong in my assessment but they cannot dispute it is more realistic than any other scenario.

Tinted windows are not legal, although I don't know how likely they are to cause accidents. If you think tinted windows should be legal, write to your MP. The cops were doing their jobs.

Driving without insurance is not legal, and is a serious problem, although in this case it does look like an honest mistake.

But OK, people make mistakes, and Defoe's here are not all that serious in the general scheme of things. He didn't actually hurt anyone. What bothers me more about this story is this:

Mr Defoe, 26, from Cuffley, Hertfordshire, did not attend a hearing in Southend when it was decided the case would be sent for trial.

There may well be circumstances we don't know about. But not turning up to a hearing suggests contempt for the legal process.

 

[fazza]

I have tinted windows Eek

 

[SlickMongoose]

I have tinted windows Eek

It depends how tinted they are.

http://www.ukmotorists.com/tinted windows.htm

Edit:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]What is excessively tinted glass? [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 as amended specify the minimum levels of light that must pass through the windscreen and front side windows.
The limits are:
Motor Vehicles first used before 1 April 1985:
The windscreen and front side windows must allow at least 70% of light to be transmitted through them.
Motor Vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1985:
The light transmitted through the windscreen must be at least 75%.
The front side windows must allow at least 70% of light to be transmitted through them.
If the glass is tinted to a point whereby it lets through less light, then the vehicle does not meet legal requirements. [/FONT]

 

[Teddy10]

Anyone have any idea of the level of punishment if found guilty on all accounts?

 

[jimtheyid]

Anyone have any idea of the level of punishment if found guilty on all accounts?

With motoring offences you only get points for the most serious offence. So I would imagine JD will get 6 points for the permitting of no insurance and a hafty fine.

The other chap will probably get 6 points for no insurance and a fine for the driving not in accordance.

 

[worcestersauce]

So tinted windows are not illegal then only excessively tinted windows! Does this mean that the polce can stop every car with any tint on the windows and test them with a light metre? did the police have a light metre in this case?

 

[tiger666]

Traffic police do actually carry light meters with them to test tinted windows.

But this is nothing compared to that ar*ehole Ashley Cole!

 

[VegasII]

Must be something personal involving the pigeon hat.

 

[milkman]

Bad boy Jermain.