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| 90mph police chief's driving ban | 90mph police chief's driving ban |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The former chair of roads policing at the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) has been banned from driving for speeding at 90mph. | The former chair of roads policing at the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) has been banned from driving for speeding at 90mph. |
| Meredydd Hughes, the chief constable of South Yorkshire, apologised after being caught on camera in a 60mph zone on the A5 at Chirk near Wrexham in May. | |
| He stood down from his role at Acpo after he was summonsed for the offence, which happened when he was on holiday. | He stood down from his role at Acpo after he was summonsed for the offence, which happened when he was on holiday. |
| He was disqualified for 42 days and fined £350 by Wrexham magistrates. | He was disqualified for 42 days and fined £350 by Wrexham magistrates. |
| Hughes, 49, did not appear in person before magistrates but entered his guilty plea via his solicitor, Huw Edwards. | Hughes, 49, did not appear in person before magistrates but entered his guilty plea via his solicitor, Huw Edwards. |
| The court heard the chief constable was caught driving at 90mph in his Y-reg Audi at 8.17am on 28 May. | The court heard the chief constable was caught driving at 90mph in his Y-reg Audi at 8.17am on 28 May. |
| He is no exception and he accepts that he must be punished for the offence Huw Edwards, Hughes' solicitor | He is no exception and he accepts that he must be punished for the offence Huw Edwards, Hughes' solicitor |
| Mr Edwards said Hughes had made a guilty plea "effectively" at the first opportunity, and had fully co-operated with the police. | Mr Edwards said Hughes had made a guilty plea "effectively" at the first opportunity, and had fully co-operated with the police. |
| "With regards to the offence itself, Mr Hughes recalls that on that morning he was returning from north Wales where he was on a short climbing holiday. | "With regards to the offence itself, Mr Hughes recalls that on that morning he was returning from north Wales where he was on a short climbing holiday. |
| "He doesn't seek to make any excuse about this matter. He totally accepts that the police have a duty to do," Mr Edwards said. | "He doesn't seek to make any excuse about this matter. He totally accepts that the police have a duty to do," Mr Edwards said. |
| "He is no exception and he accepts that he must be punished for the offence. | "He is no exception and he accepts that he must be punished for the offence. |
| "He asks me to apologise for the offence. He recognises that the matter is a serious matter." | "He asks me to apologise for the offence. He recognises that the matter is a serious matter." |
| Hughes undermines the work of traffic police to protect the safety of road users, both within his force and across the country Jools Townsend, Brake | Hughes undermines the work of traffic police to protect the safety of road users, both within his force and across the country Jools Townsend, Brake |
| As Acpo's roads chief, Hughes had argued in favour of "less conspicuous" speed cameras as a way of slowing down traffic. | As Acpo's roads chief, Hughes had argued in favour of "less conspicuous" speed cameras as a way of slowing down traffic. |
| Cardiff-born Hughes has served with the South Wales and Greater Manchester forces during his career but returned to South Yorkshire in 2002 as deputy chief constable. | Cardiff-born Hughes has served with the South Wales and Greater Manchester forces during his career but returned to South Yorkshire in 2002 as deputy chief constable. |
| He has been in the chief constable's post since September 2004. | He has been in the chief constable's post since September 2004. |
| South Yorkshire Police refused to discuss whether a car and police driver would be made available to Mr Hughes during the period of his driving ban. | South Yorkshire Police refused to discuss whether a car and police driver would be made available to Mr Hughes during the period of his driving ban. |
| A spokeswoman said the court case was "a private matter" and referred the inquiry to South Yorkshire Police Authority. | A spokeswoman said the court case was "a private matter" and referred the inquiry to South Yorkshire Police Authority. |
| They issued a statement saying: "The matter will now be considered by the South Yorkshire Police Authority in accordance with established procedures relating to this type of incident. | They issued a statement saying: "The matter will now be considered by the South Yorkshire Police Authority in accordance with established procedures relating to this type of incident. |
| Jools Townsend, of road safety campaigners Brake said Hughes' offence was "shocking" and called the sentence lenient. | Jools Townsend, of road safety campaigners Brake said Hughes' offence was "shocking" and called the sentence lenient. |
| "By committing this deadly crime, Hughes undermines the work of traffic police to protect the safety of road users, both within his force and across the country. | "By committing this deadly crime, Hughes undermines the work of traffic police to protect the safety of road users, both within his force and across the country. |
| "He should seriously consider his position as a result." | "He should seriously consider his position as a result." |
| But the anti-speed camera group Safe Speed said: "The hypocrisy is breathtaking. Mr Hughes should clearly have been preaching what he practices - because clearly he knows that exceeding the speed limit isn't necessarily dangerous." | But the anti-speed camera group Safe Speed said: "The hypocrisy is breathtaking. Mr Hughes should clearly have been preaching what he practices - because clearly he knows that exceeding the speed limit isn't necessarily dangerous." |