How the British judicial system indulges very dangerous drivers

Motorists who ignored flashing warning lights and alarms and drove across a notorious level crossing in north Shropshire have been fined and had penalty points put on their driving licences. Cases against two drivers involving Wem level crossing were heard at Market Drayton Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

They are the latest drivers to face court punishment over misuse of the crossing, which Network Rail has identified as the sixth most abused in Britain.

Kate Dennett, of Aston Street, Wem, admitted failing to comply with flashing light signals at the crossing.

The court heard the 29-year-old drove a Ford Transit van across the tracks on May 14 at about 7.25am. She offered no mitigation and the case was heard in her absence. Magistrates fined her £115 and ordered her to pay a £15 victim surcharge. Her driving licence was endorsed with three penalty points.

So she doesn’t even have to bother turning up in court and is allowed to go on driving, even though she was prepared to cause a train crash.

She should have been fined £1,000 and had her driving licence taken away for two years. But of course highly dangerous drivers like Ms. Dennett enjoy the institutional protection of these particular individuals.