We advise and represent clients being investigated or prosecuted for motoring offences, who may be facing penalty points, a driving ban or even prison. We also act for professional drivers such as taxi, bus and HGV drivers facing proceedings before licensing committees or the Traffic Commissioner.
Motoring convictions can potentially have devastating and far-reaching consequences. This can be due to the seriousness of a particular incident or due to an accumulation of penalty points for minor infringements. The immediate impact could be a driving disqualification or revocation of your driving licence under the ‘new driver’ provisions. Losing the ability to drive can have awful consequences as regards continued employment and meeting personal or family obligations. For certain more serious offences, the courts can also consider imposing a custodial sentence.
When you are investigated for a motoring offence, or find yourself charged and prosecuted, it is important that you fully understand everything about the allegation that has been made against you and how best to respond. Please see our Criminal Defence page for further details on how we can help.
Our experienced and specialist team can advise and represent clients in relation to the following offences:
- Speeding
- Using a mobile phone whilst driving
- Careless driving (driving without due care and attention)
- Causing serious injury by careless driving / driving whilst disqualified / dangerous driving
- Dangerous driving
- Causing death by dangerous driving / careless driving / driving whilst disqualified / driving whilst unlicensed or uninsured
- Gross negligence manslaughter
- Failing to stop after an accident / report an accident / identify the driver
- Drink driving
- Drug driving
- Failing to provide a specimen
- Driving whilst disqualified
- No driving licence / insurance and/or MOT
- Drivers hours and tachograph offences
- Excess weight
- Using a vehicle in a dangerous condition
How we can help:
- Advising on Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIP)
- Advising and representing at police interview
- Advising on Single Justice Procedure Notices (SJPN)
- Advising and representing at Court Hearings:
- Exceptional Hardship arguments
- Mitigation on sentence following a guilty plea
- Special Reasons arguments
- Trials
- Advising and representing at Licensing Committee Hearings
- Advising and representing at Traffic Commissioner Driver Conduct Hearings
If you are suspected of a motoring offence or have been charged, or your entitlement to drive is otherwise at risk, we recognise it is a daunting experience and recommend that you seek legal advice at the earliest opportunity. The team’s early intervention can in some instances prevent an investigation from progressing to a prosecution before the Courts.
For further information on how the Leathes Prior Team can help you, please contact Howard Catherall via hcatherall@leathesprior.co.uk or call 01603 281172.
what our clients say
Matthew's dealing of my speeding situation was excellent. He maintained great communication and made sure that we were prepared for every eventuality. The result was better than expected and very much a surprise, which gave me huge relief and has had a huge impact on my life. The service and professionalism that Matthew and Diane provided was excellent.
I would like to thank you for the time and effort what you put into my case. From start to finish, nothing seemed too much trouble and you have certainty gone above and beyond for me and I really appreciate all what you done
We are immeasurably grateful to you and your team for taking us through the application process. You have been really wonderful to communicate with. To say we are pleased would be a great understatement, I would like to extend our appreciation for the amazing work done by you and your team. Your professionalism has impressed us and we consider ourselves honoured to have you as our attorney. Again thank you so much for everything your team have done, we commend you for the professionalism, skill and knowledge. Your devoted watch on details ensured a smooth flow of events through to the end product.
I was extremely worried about my impending court case for drink-driving and wanted to find a solicitor in Norwich who understood neurological conditions, as I have ADHD. Thankfully, Howard was recommended to me by a good friend. From my very first correspondence with Howard, I felt a sense of relief that he had the experience I needed, and am now very grateful that this was a correct assumption. His level of commitment to my case to fully understand my circumstances was excellent, as was his advice. Howard's explanation of my circumstances to the magistrates on the court day helped for them to better understand what was going on 'behind the scenes'. I could not have wished for better representation or a better result.
I wanted to thank you for your dedication to my case and your excellent presentation to the magistrates on my behalf. Without your services I would not be driving today. I thought the way you approached the challenge of achieving a successful outcome for me was a masterpiece of strategy, planning and delivery. It was so interesting to watch you take the magistrates eloquently ‘by the hand’ through the maze of events and diverse facts that constituted my defence. Every “dot and t” was crossed with no stone left unturned. Your diligence, creativity and thorough investigations were exemplary and left no quarter for ambiguity at any stage of the proceedings. Furthermore the defence bundles that you prepared with the assistance of your helpful and professional assistant, were also a masterclass in both presentation and logical progression, and presented a daunting collection of hard evidence and background information to the magistrates which helped my defence significantly and shaped their response in a sympathetic and positive way. If there was a prize for the most accomplished defence of a client in a driving conviction case, you would certainly win it!
A huge thank you Howard and Richard from us all, for your efforts on our behalf and allowing us to push the business forward with our new partner on board
Good, prompt advice. Professional and impressive.
Leathes Prior Solicitors were professional, efficient and invaluable, I would like to offer my sincere thanks for their help with their involvement in this matter.