Stiffer speeding penalties planned for worst offenders

Fines for drivers who commit the most serious speeding offences are set to rise by half under new rules issued by courts.

Penalties for motorists caught going well above the speed limit will start from 150 per cent of their weekly income rather than the existing level of 100 per cent.

The new sentencing guidelines for magistrates mean someone who is sentenced for driving at 101mph or faster in a 70mph zone will now be dealt with in a more severe bracket.

The Sentencing Council said the move aims to ensure there is a “clear increase in penalty as the seriousness of offending increases”.

RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams welcomed the changes.

He said: “Anyone who breaks the limit excessively is a danger to every other road user and is unnecessarily putting lives at risk.

“Hopefully, hitting these offenders harder in the pocket will make them think twice before doing it again in the future.

“While greater sentences for excessive speeders are obviously a deterrent, the best deterrent of all is more effective enforcement.”

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, cautiously backed the guidelines as being welcomed by the majority of law-abiding drivers.

But he added: “The effect they will have on those already willing to flout the law and put themselves and others in danger remains to be seen.”

The guidelines, which cover magistrates courts in England and Wales and are set to be published on Tuesday, also include sentencing options for TV licence payment evasion.

Under the least serious cases, magistrates now have the option of a conditional discharges, so the individual is not punished unless they commit another offence within a set period of time.

MORE: Lord Nelson’s last words revealed in love letter to mistress that is set to fetch £15,000 at auction
MORE: Expert reveals why the British accent is perfect for movie villains

Magistrates are also being given new advice on how to approach animal cruelty, which, for the first time, includes aggravating factors of “use of technology to publicise or promote cruelty” .

The new guidelines, which also cover railway fare evasion, truancy and being drunk and disorderly, aim to reflect changes in the law since the they were last updated in 2008.

District judge Richard Williams, a Sentencing Council member, said: “The magistrates’ courts deal with the vast majority of offenders in England and Wales, so it is essential that the guidelines they use are up to date and help ensure that sentences are applied consistently and effectively.”

The guidelines will be used to sentence adult offenders in all magistrates’ courts in England and Wales from April 24.