When you receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP), you are required to provide details of who the driver was on the day of the offence. Failure to do so can result in a fine of up to £1,000 and six penalty points on your driving licence. To prevent this from happening, it’s important that you get help from an experienced defence solicitor.
At Burton Copeland, our driving offence team has helped many drivers facing charges across the UK get a more desired outcome from prosecution. Our solicitors will use everything at their disposal to prove that you have done everything you can to provide the police with the driver’s details.
Contact our Manchester office today on 0161 827 9500 if you have been accused of failing to provide details. Or let us know a convenient time to contact you by filling in our online form.
About the notice of intended prosecution (NIP)
The purpose of a Notice of Intended Prosecution – sometimes referred to as a Section 172 notice – is to notify the registered keeper of a vehicle about an offence. The owner should expect to hear of an allegation within 14 days. If you receive a NIP, you have 28 days from the date of receipt to either confirm you were the driver or provide the name and address of the person driving at the time of the offence.
If you fail to respond to this notice within the timeframe, you may be charged under Section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
What are the penalties?
The penalty for not providing driver details within the given 28 days is six points on your licence and a fine up to £1,000. There is also a chance that you will be disqualified from driving for a discretionary period. In some cases, this punishment can be more severe than the original offence the NIP is about.
How can I avoid further punishment?
Motorists charged with this offence often have perfectly good reasons why they have not provided the information within the time limit. For example, you may have been on holiday when the NIP was sent out. If you are able to demonstrate that it was not possible to provide the information in the given time and you did so as soon as you were able to, you may be able to be cleared of the offence.
The same can be said if you did not receive the NIP or have responded but it was not received by the police. If this is the case, we can help you to gather the following evidence:
- Postal disruptions
- Postal difficulties
- Theft
- Proof of delivery
- Other examples of received letters
- Confirmation from a third party
It is advisable to seek advice from a specialist solicitor at the earliest opportunity to ensure the appropriate information is provided or a proper defence is started if you are charged.
Why choose us?
The road traffic offence team at Burton Copeland, led by Gwyn Lewis who has over 28 years in defending motoring offences, will do everything in their power to provide you with a strong defence case. We understand the importance of paying attention to the finer details, which is why we will scrutinise the prosecution’s evidence as well as leave no stone unturned when it comes investigating the notification processes.
Our solicitors will listen to your side of the story and tailor their service to match your needs, as we believe a personable approach is the best method of success. We’re also available anytime morning, noon or night to provide updates on case progress and respond to any questions or queries you might have.
Contact us today
If you have been accused of failing to provide driver details, take action now by contacting Burton Copeland today. From our offices in Manchester, we are able to provide support to drivers all over the UK. To get in touch, simply call us on 0161 827 9500 or submit your details in our online contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.