From Today, Monday 24th April 2017 the Sentencing Guidelines Council has published the revised Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines which are now in effect.

Drivers caught speeding excessively above the legal limit face much tougher fines under the new sentencing guidelines. The tougher penalties for serious driving offences will see some drivers facing court fines of up to 150% of net weekly income. This would apply to drivers who speeding at 41mph or more in a 20mph limit area, 51mph or more in a 30mph limit or over 101mph on a motorway.

The sentence levels for the less serious offences are not being changed.

Depending on the speed, drivers caught speeding will also be given between 3 and 6 penalty points on their licence, and in some cases even disqualification. The maximum fine for speeding is £1000, and upto a maximum of £2,500 for motorway offences.

Any driver reaching 12 penalty points for offences committed within preceeding three years will be at risk of disqualification, for at least six months, under the totting up system. New drivers who accumulate 6 penalty points within two years of getting their full licence will have to re-sit their driving test.

These new sentencing guidelines will apply to all ‘speeding’ offences sentenced on or after 24th April 2017, no matter when the offence was committed.

The other guidelines which have been updated are;

Alcohol sale offences – Licensing Act 2003, s.141; s.146; s.147
Animal cruelty – Animal Welfare Act 2006, s.4; s.8 and s.9
Careless driving – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.3
Communication network offences – Communications Act 2003, s.127(1)
Communication network offences – Communications Act 2003 s.127(2)
Drive whilst disqualified – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.103
Drugs – fail to attend/remain for initial assessment –Drugs Act 2005, s.12
Drugs – fail/refuse to provide a sample – Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, s.63B
Drunk and disorderly in a public place – Criminal Justice Act 1967, s.91
Excess alcohol (drive/attempt) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.5(1)(a)
Excess alcohol (in charge) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.5(1)(b)
Fail to provide specimen for analysis (drive/attempt) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.7(6)
Fail to provide specimen for analysis (in charge) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.7(6)
Fail to stop/report road accident – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.170(4)
Football related offences – Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act 1985, s.2(1) and s.2(2), Football Offences Act 1991, s.2, s.3 and s.4 and Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, s.166
No insurance – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.143
Obstruct/resist a police constable in execution of duty – Police Act 1996, s.89(2)
Railway fare evasion – Regulation of Railways Act 1889, s.5(1) and s.5(3)
School non-attendance – Education Act 1996, s.444(1) and s.444(1A)
Sexual activity in a public lavatory – Sexual Offences Act 2003, s.71
Speeding – Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s.89(1)
Taxi touting/soliciting for hire – Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, s.167
TV licence payment evasion – Communications Act 2003, s.363
Unfit through drink or drugs (drive/attempt) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.4(1)
Unfit through drink or drugs (in charge) – Road Traffic Act 1988, s.4(2)
Vehicle interference – Criminal Attempts Act 1981, s.9
Vehicle taking, without consent – Theft Act 1968, s.12