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Steven Tarry called the affair "an unbelievable waste of money" View gallery (total of 2 images)

Police used plane to prove motoring offence

Exclusive by Neal Keeling

February 04, 2010

A judge slammed police who called in their force plane in a bid to prove a motorist committed a minor traffic offence.

Officers used the Cheshire Police Piper Highlander plane to photograph road markings from the air to help prosecute Steven Tarry.

Mr Tarry, 50, who works as a Frank Sinatra impersonator, was accused of being spotted by officers using a mobile phone while driving, which carries a three-point penalty and a £60 fine, and veering over a white line on a junction of the A55 – a charge which also carries a £60 fine. But when he contested the charges, police got the force plane to fly over the scene to take an aerial picture.

The case was eventually kicked out of court and the judge has criticised police for wasting public money.

It also emerged they could have obtained the same image free on the internet. Mr Tarry, from Irlam, who works as a health and safety lecturer as well as performing as ‘Manc Sinatra’ at charity events, was pulled over near Chester last June.

He was charged with using his mobile and crossing the white lines of a prohibited zone on a slip road. When the case came to Northwich magistrates' court, the police aerial photograph was included in evidence to prove the prosecution case.

Officers argued it showed the alleged offences took place on a particularly dangerous part of the slip road.

Mr Tarry was cleared of using his mobile after showing he had a hands-free kit in his car. He was found guilty of crossing the white line but appealed, and the case went to Knutsford Crown Court. Mr Tarry eventually won the appeal after his solicitors showed that he had been incorrectly summonsed.

Chris Sweetman, who represented Mr Tarry, said: “The entire legal process has put Mr Tarry through an enormous amount of pressure, not to mention the astonishing cost billed at the taxpayers’ expense.

“I understand that every time the force plane is used the minimum cost is about £1,500.”

Mr Tarry said: “I felt the police totally over-reacted. I just think the whole case was an unbelievable waste of money.”

In court, Judge Dutton said it was ‘a serious waste of public monies to use a force aircraft for this purpose’ and that ‘it would be funny if it wasn't such a waste of money’.

Cheshire Police defended the decision to use the force aircraft to gather the evidence – and claimed the plane was already in the area on other business.

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Most recent user comments 25 of 59

1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page Show 25 | 50 per page

Hurry O'Caine - the Irish Whirlind, Typhoon Tipperary

Seems I was wrong about the police wanting to use spy drones to monitor our movements, less wrong than you though, as they are already in use, and without the proper licence, as Mersyside police found this week when theirs was grounded.

citycentre, manchester
22/02/2010 at 21:32

Alan Green, this goes for any policeforce who wastes ratepayer/taxpayers money,its stupid to pay thousands of pounds to fine a driver less than £100. not very cost effective.when there was other ways.

Ace Riley, outsidethebox
8/02/2010 at 11:07

Er it does say Cheshire Police so why do GMP get slagged off??

Alan Green,
7/02/2010 at 13:45

Ace: "and yet we have the GMP use a million pound plane that costs a fortune to convict a man for £60 fine? im lost for words.....GMP get back to real policing"

Two things:

(1) If you'd read the story properly, you would have seen that it was Cheshire Police, not GMP.

(2) This is zero tolerance. It's "no excuses." It's exactly what you've been calling for, so stop complaining.

Black Flag,
6/02/2010 at 13:23

What a joke? on one hand we have MCC refusing to chase up half a million pounds because they say it would not be cost effective and yet we have the GMP use a million pound plane that costs a fortune to convict a man for £60 fine? im lost for words.....GMP get back to real policing instead of these day out jollys having fun in planes and helicopters,or driving these hight powered cars.lets get the traffic police patrolling and get the old syle cop back walking the beat and then maybe we would get fit coppers who can outrun these criminals.

Ace Riley, outsidethebox
6/02/2010 at 12:23

I take it that they don't have Traffic Cops any more? More tax payers money down the drain!

Blackraven, Manchester
5/02/2010 at 13:12

Hurry O'Caine

In this instance no one is working behind anything, the documents are in the open and the police are actively campaigning for them, as I said earlier the only reason they are not in service is that the CAA have not approved thier use, I would expect this to change reasonably soon.

When our own government continues to introduce new laws to control what we can do and say there is not really any need to invoke shadowy groups trying to control us, is there?

citycentre, manchester
5/02/2010 at 12:58

Hurry O'Caine: "Perhaps the police are looking at the idea. I just think it probably wont come off and even if it did, their use will probably not be as sinister as you and other anticipate."

What have I anticipated?

Black Flag,
5/02/2010 at 11:37

Black Flag: Not at all. Perhaps the police are looking at the idea. I just think it probably wont come off and even if it did, their use will probably not be as sinister as you and other anticipate.

Hurry O'Caine - the Irish Whirlind, Typhoon Tipperary
5/02/2010 at 11:10

There is no such plane called a 'Piper Highlander' the plane in question used by Cheshire police is the British built Britten Norman Islander and Piper is also an American company.

Alfie Noakes
5/02/2010 at 11:02

Hurry O'Caine: "I have come to the conclusion that Black Flag, Citycentre and one or two others on here are actually just silly conspiracy theorists who see 'the system' or 'men in grey suits' constantly working behind the scenes. I bet they both believe that the Bilderbergers are planning the New World Order. Pathetic."

You don't do yourself any favours by having a tantrum when you're shown to be wrong.

It might be reasonable to claim that it is a conspiracy theory when somebody says that the police are planning to use drones for surveillance, but sticking with our claim when somebody's pointed you towards documents produced by a police quango which verify those plans just makes you look a bit silly.

Black Flag,
5/02/2010 at 09:12

I have come to the conclusion that Black Flag, Citycentre and one or two others on here are actually just silly conspiracy theorists who see 'the system' or 'men in grey suits' constantly working behind the scenes. I bet they both believe that the Bilderbergers are planning the New World Order. Pathetic.

Hurry O'Caine - the Irish Whirlind, Typhoon Tipperary
5/02/2010 at 08:39

Looks more like Dean Martin than Ole Blue Eyes!

Leon Weastie, Stuck in a Bockle Over the Mode
5/02/2010 at 04:05

Predator drones used by British police? Every time I've been back home I've encountered at least a couple. Mostly in Lundun though;)

Leon Weastie, Stuck in a Bockle Over the Mode
5/02/2010 at 04:03

George was going up to bed when his wife told him that he'd left the light on in the garden shed, which she could see from the bedroom window. George opened the back door to go and turn off the light but saw that there were people in the shed stealing things. He phoned the police, who asked 'Is someone in your house,' and he said 'no.' Then they said that all patrols were busy, and that he should simply lock his door and an officer would be along when available. George said, 'Okay,' hung up, counted to 30, and phoned the police again. 'Hello, I just called you a few seconds ago because there were people stealing things from my shed. Well, you don't have to worry about them now because I just shot them.' Then he hung up. Within five minutes six police cars, a helicopter, two fire trucks, a paramedic and an ambulance showed up at the Phillips' residence and caught the burglars red-handed. One of the Policemen said to George: 'I thought you said that you'd shot them!' George said, ' AND I thought you said there was nobody available!'

Advocatus Diaboli
4/02/2010 at 20:17

"Cheshire Police defended the decision to use the force aircraft to gather the evidence – and claimed the plane was already in the area on other business."

Is this normal practise for officers 'give the pilot of our plane a ring see if he's in the air if he is tell him to come take some photo's of this', how often is this plane in the air or just a very nice coincidence on the officers behalf.

lovinthebanter, Manchester
4/02/2010 at 18:33

Poor old Joe Stalin missed out on this modern technology, he would have lovrd these spy planes.

Tramtraveller, Bury
4/02/2010 at 17:43

I'm sorry but you seem to be mistaking me for someone that gives a ****. All blown out of proportion, yet another anti-cop story by the MEN!

Anon ,
4/02/2010 at 17:34

Is it a Bird!is it a Plane?NO It's Super cop!

canonball, inside the helmet
4/02/2010 at 16:53

City - What equipment they will carry I do not know, but once they are in operation this can probably be easily changed.

Lets hope the GMP dont change the drones purpose back to what they were built for - or should I say what they are being used for now - to carry missiles to eliminate personal and equipment.

tiggerluc, somewhere in shaw
4/02/2010 at 16:52

My feelings on the subject are that the police should use some discretion when dealing with such offences and that the measures they went to in order to chase a conviction were extreme. Given my time with the police force, I understand the pressures of the job, but I would have used a little more discretion in deciding how much public money to expend on the case.

Chris Sweetman
4/02/2010 at 16:47

tiggerluc

I have no information on GMP's plans regarding drone planes, and have not claimed to have. What I have stated is that police forces are seeking to introduce unmanned drones for survielance, that they are claiming they will be used for anti terror purposes, but have been forced to release documents revealing their intended use for much more trivial matters. What equipment they will carry I do not know, but once they are in operation this can probably be easily changed.

I would think the time to debate whether we want extra goverment monitoring of our activities is before it happens, rather than waiting to see what they do?

citycentre, manchester
4/02/2010 at 16:43

I love the way people who commit crimes in their cars say they are not real criminals.

What constitues real crimes? Can I punch someone on the back of the head tonight and say im not a real criminal and the police should be out only catching peodofiles, burglars, and benefit fraudsters?

John Terry's Libido, Chelsea
4/02/2010 at 16:35

So -citycentre- by virtue of your comments GMP is to spend millions on a 150 ft long Predator drone complete with launchers hi tec centre and highly trained team of personel (bearing in mind the RAF drones are controlled from the USA) for the sake of spotting traffic.

I think you will find there are smaller drones at a cheaper cost out there to use. If the GMP can spend millions upon millions on a drone of that size and close down numerous stations - then serious questions wil be asked.

tiggerluc, somewhere in shaw
4/02/2010 at 16:29

Hurry O'Caine, tiggerluc

The only reason they are not already in use is that the CAA has not yet cleared them for use in airspace under its control. They are under heavy pressure from Allyn Thomas of Kent Police, who acts a spokesman for a group of 6 forces which currently want them. Police Forces are already trying to hide what they will actually be used for, as they admit in minutes from a 2007 meeting "There is potential for these [maritime] uses to be projected as a 'good news' story to the public rather than more 'big brother'," , however further documents obtained under the FoI act reveal "Other routine tasks (Local Councils) – surveillance", another document states the drones could be used to combat "fly-posting, fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles, abnormal loads, waste management". As you say they would be expensive to purchase, but police forces don't really worry about that they know a sufficient flock of tax paying sheep are happy to do anything in the name of combating terror, and. apparantly they intend to sell the surrvielance data obtained to private companies.