A RUNCORN man was fined after being caught using a mobile while driving.

Craig Meade, 37, of Lockwood View, Runcorn admitted using a phone whilst driving on the M3 northbound near Winchester services.

He was behind the wheel of a Ford Transit at the time.

Meade was given a seven-day disqualification and a £233 fine at Southampton Magistrates' Court last week.

He must also pay £110 court costs and a £93 surcharge.

https://www.runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk/news/24044636.runcorn-man-fined-using-phone-driving-motorway/

On 13/01/2024 11:47 am, Simon Mason wrote:

> A RUNCORN man was fined after being caught using a mobile while driving.
>
> Craig Meade, 37, of Lockwood View, Runcorn admitted using a phone whilst driving on the M3 northbound near Winchester services.
>
> He was behind the wheel of a Ford Transit at the time.
>
> Meade was given a seven-day disqualification and a £233 fine at Southampton Magistrates' Court last week.
>
> He must also pay £110 court costs and a £93 surcharge.
>
> https://www.runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk/news/24044636.runcorn-man-fined-using-phone-driving-motorway/

A realistic set of penalties, for a change.

A punishment, but not a life-wrecking one.

But where was the chav on the bike (if any)?

Also on the motorway?

QUOTE: Meade was given a seven-day disqualification and a £233 fine at Southampton Magistrates' Court last week.ENDS

A driving ban for using a mobile phone??
More of this please!

On 13/01/2024 04:52 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> QUOTE: Meade was given a seven-day disqualification and a £233 fine at Southampton Magistrates' Court last week.ENDS
>
> A driving ban for using a mobile phone??
> More of this please!

Seven days sounds quite reasonable.

An endorsement without the ban would last four years (three for totting
up purposes, then another year after that for no obvious purpose).

But any endorsement used in a disqualification is automatically brought
to an end.

Given a choice between a four year endorsement or a week's
disqualification, it'd be the disqual any day. I only drive on two or
three days a week anyway, and I'd find an easy workaround for that for a
week. And my wife has a driving licence and a car*.

[* Do we all remember how May Sun posted in a deliriously happy state
when his wife was caught by a GATSO? He thought it was hilarious.
Perhaps he's on his own now. It would have served him right.]

Who observed the phone "offence" by the way?

A chav-cyclist on the M3?

On Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 4:52:19 PM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:
> QUOTE: Meade was given a seven-day disqualification and a £233 fine at Southampton Magistrates' Court last week.ENDS
>
> A driving ban for using a mobile phone??
> More of this please!

Quite a rogue's gallery of other criminals in the weekly round-up.

The following cases have been heard at Southampton Magistrates' Court...

JOSHUA BERNARD, 28, of Nickson Close, Chandler's Ford admitted driving without insurance on the A34 southbound at Sutton Scotney. He had been driving a Mercedes C220 at the time. The case was adjourned to May 28 for a Newton Hearing.

CRAIG MEADE, 37, of Lockwood View, Runcorn admitted using a phone whilst driving on the M3 northbound near Winchester services. He was behind the wheel of a Ford Transit at the time. Meade was given a seven-day disqualification and a £233 fine. He must also pay £110 court costs and a £93 surcharge.

BRADLEY GROOME, 20, of Jacobs Gutter Lane, Totton pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention at North Walls, Winchester. He was driving a Ford Fiesta. Groome was fined £150 and received three penalty points.. He must pay £110 court costs and a £60 surcharge.

ISAAC GHINEA, 32, of Shayer Road, Southampton admitted two counts of theft from a shop after he stole £233 worth of rum from Waitrose at Oakmount Road, Chandler's Ford twice on the same day. He was ordered to pay £465 compensation and a £250 fine. Ghinea must also pay court costs of £85 and a £200 surcharge.

PAUL GLASSPOOL, 57, of Begonia Road, Southampton pleaded guilty to drink driving on Lordswood Road, Southampton. He was caught with 66 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. Glasspool was banned from driving for 18 months and must pay an £850 fine. He must also pay £85 court costs and a £340 surcharge.

JAVED MIAH, 34, of Lower Ashley Road, New Milton was found guilty of breaching a non-molestation order at Hobart Road, New Milton. He received a two-year community order with a 30-day Building Better Relationships programme and ten rehabilitation days. He was given a restraining order banning him from contacting his victim until January 2029. Miah must pay £300 court costs and a £114 surcharge.