When a speed camera takes a photograph of your vehicle the police use computers to enhance the photograph in order to make the number plate more visible. This photograph (evidence #1) forms corroborating proof to the speed calculation of the RADAR/LIDAR device (evidence #2).
Section 20 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 and section 23 of the Road Traffic Act 1991 specifies that only evidence produced by the speed camera is admissible. What this means is a photograph cannot be manipulated to any extent in a criminal trial. The reasons for this are quite simple: if photographs can be manipulated in criminal trials what's to stop (for example) the prosecution faking a photograph to place the defendant at the scene of a crime. This law is a basic principle regarding your right to a fair trial, and the law is quite clear: zero tolerance on photographic manipulation.
If the prosecution try to use a manipulated photograph, a good lawyer should be able to get it invalidated as evidence. This would likely mean the prosecution would only have one other piece of evidence: the RADAR/LIDAR speed reading. One piece of evidence is not enough for a conviction in most cases and your case should be dropped.
Knowing WHEN to play this card is key. Our expert lawyers can help!
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