A motoring legal expert has told a motorist wondering whether to buy a special sheet to go over the number plate to avoid speed cameras that they could face jail. Nick Freeman, motoring lawyer who is known as Mr Loophole for a number of high profile court cases involving celebrities and driving offences.
A Times reader said they had spotted for sale a special number plate which can thwart speed cameras. They said: “I saw advertised online a transparent sheet you can attach over your car’s number plates. Its manufacturer claims it can thwart speed, red light and police ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras. It was being sold on a popular shopping site. You can apparently buy a spray that does the same thing, or get plates made with the coating already in place. But it occurs to me that it may not be legal to use. Can you advise?”
Nick Freeman, motoring lawyer aka Mr Loophole spoke out about ‘ghost number plates’ which have been described as ‘incredibly simple’ but able to help people avoid motoring fines. The plates have a reflective coating, which prevents them from being identified by police cameras.
The British Number Plate Manufacturers Association (BNMA), which represents companies producing the vast majority of plates in the UK, wants tougher regulation of the sector. In a letter to the Government last month, it claimed that a number of suppliers that have not registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) are not following its requirements.
It warned that this has led to a rise in ghost plates and cloning, which is when a plate displays the same registration as another vehicle.
Mr Freeman said in reply to the query - and said anyone could face prison for using them: “These are all illegal and you run the risk of committing the serious criminal offence of attempting to pervert the course of justice. This is in addition to having number plates that fail to comply with the strict specifications regarding visibility and reflectivity imposed by the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001.
“Obscuring a plate, whether deliberately or inadvertently owing to dirt or road grime, is an offence under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. The latter offence involves a fine and the plate being deemed invalid. However, if there is an intention to avoid the consequences of your driving, the offence of attempting to pervert the course of justice can be tried only in the Crown Court and typically involves a custodial sentence.
“It is no defence to suggest that you purchased the item online and were told it was legal. My advice to anyone who buys one would be to return it and request a refund. I think they would be successful as I very much doubt the company concerned would welcome police attention or the attendant adverse publicity.”
British Number Plate Manufacturers Association chairman Michael Flanagan said: “Far from being the tightly regulated industry it should be, number plates are increasingly being sold by unscrupulous below-the-radar suppliers using non-compliant, untraceable materials.
“They rarely ask for the documentation that the DVLA require. This is a criminal offence and enables serious criminals and terrorists to move around the roads undetected.
“Motorists deserve to know they are buying a legal, compliant number plate from a legitimate supplier. Now is the time for Government to tighten the regulations.”
Sarah Coombes, Labour MP for West Bromwich, wants the punishment for being caught with a ghost plate to be raised from a £100 fine and no penalty points to a fine of at least £1,000 and six penalty points.
She said: “Dodgy number plates are no longer a fringe issue. They’re everywhere and they’re undermining the rule of law on our roads. “I know this Government is committed to making our roads safer for everyone. Tightening the law on number plates will be a huge step in the right direction.”
A DVLA spokesperson said: “DVLA is committed to ensuring all number plates are displayed correctly and legally. We work with the police and Trading Standards to take action against suppliers who do not comply with the law.
“A legitimate supplier will always ask to see ID and entitlement documents before selling a number plate. Where this doesn’t happen, members of the public can report this directly to their local Trading Standards.”
Professor Fraser Sampson who was Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner previously described the methods to frustrate Automatic Number Plate Recognistion (ANPR) systems as 'staggeringly simple'.