Retired engineer, 71, spends £30,000 in three-year battle against £100 speeding fine ‘for going 35mph in a 30 zone’ – but LOSES on appeal
- Richard Keedwell insists he was wrongly snapped going 35mph in a 30mph zone
- He said he ended up spending ‘the best part of £30,000’ on legal proceedings
- Mr Keedwell claimed it took four journeys to Worcester Magistrates’ Court before his appeal was heard, and he then lost a crown court appeal in August
A retired engineer spent £30,000 of his life savings in a failed three-year attempt to appeal a £100 speeding fine.
Richard Keedwell, 71, insists he was wrongly snapped going 35mph in a 30mph zone during a day trip to Worcester in November 2016 – and set out to appeal the fine.
Mr Keedwell said he thought the case would be ‘fairly quick’, but ended up spending ‘the best part of £30,000’ of his son’s inheritance money on legal proceedings, the BBC reported.
Richard Keedwell, 71, insists he was wrongly snapped going 35mph in a 30mph zone
The retired engineer said thought the case would be ‘fairly quick’, but ended up spending ‘the best part of £30,000’ on the proceedings
He claimed it took four journeys to Worcester Magistrates’ Court before his appeal was heard, and he then lost a crown court appeal in August.
Roughly £21,000 was spent on barristers’ fees, £7,000 was spent on court costs, plus additional travel expenses.
Mr Keedwell, of Yate, South Gloucestershire, said he felt guilty that his family would not be able to make use of the money, and the case had been ‘very stressful’.
Mr Keedwell said he felt guilty that his family would not be able to make use of the money
He said: ‘I’m sick and tired at the whole system which is steamrolling ordinary people.
‘I regret the amount of money. I very simply wanted justice.’
Mr Keedwell said he was definitely not travelling more than 30mph when he was snapped in New Road, and was very surprised to receive a notice of intended prosecution.
Mr Keedwell said he recruited a video and electronics expert who told the court that the camera could have been faulty.
A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said additional hearings and expert evidence were necessary due to some issues raised by the defence.
According to 2018 Government statistics, 52 per cent of cars exceeded the speed limit on 30mph roads during that year.
A greater proportion of cars exceeded the speed limit on weekdays than weekends; 46 per cent of cars exceeded the speed limit on motorways, and 10 per cent of cars exceeded the speed limit on national speed limit single carriageways, the statistics revealed.