Police Complaints?

[AdamW]

Not a legal question!

My car was rammed by some clot back in January. He drove off without stopping, but luckily I had two witnesses so toddled on down to the police station to report it.

They managed to lose the paperwork, which brought about such a delay that they didn't send me or the witnesses any questionnaires until after th 6 month crown prosecution deadline.

Which means my insurers had nothing to go on, and it's ben dragging out so long that the case STILL isn't closed at the insurers and I'm being stung for 3 years ncb.

So, I've decided to complain to the Police Complaints Authority. I'm not after state compensation, I'm hoping that they will grant a reopening of the case and find in my favour (i.e. hold the idiot who rammed me as to blame).

Has anyone ever gone through the PCA before? Did they have any success?

 

[joe-90]

If the paperwork is lost - you are on a complete loser.

Didn't you have a protected no-claims policy?


joe

 

[Thermo]

youll get an apology and thats about it, your insurance company should have applied for a copy of the report asap though

 

[Softus]

Adam, do you have the registration number of the car that hit yours?

If so, why are you waiting for the police - why not just sue the driver?

 

[Big_Spark]

Data Protection would prevent a member of the public discovering the Owner/Kepper of a Vehicle from the Registration Plate..legally speaking, although I understand there are ways and means around this...

 

[AdamW]

No protection unfortunately, was 24 years old with 3 years ncb at the time: policies I've seen for protected ncb you have to be 25 with 5 years.

I believe you can now just send £5 or so to the DVLA and get the name and address of a vehicle keeper. This is how supermarkets are able to issue tickets to people who abuse their carparks... I saw something about it on Watchdog, a company sent tickets to people who had been stopping on their site road to drop off their husbands/wives at the train station Scary isn't it!!!

Of course, I do know the guy's name, and the taxi company he works for...

I hate being beaten, but after 10 months of pulling my hair out I've got the nagging suspicion I've lost on this one I even tried telling my insurers "I had been planning to upgrade to an Astra VXR now I am 25, but there's no way I can afford that insurance with 1 years ncb... so you will only get £400 out of me with a group 5 car instead of £900 with a group 17 car" But they pretty much told me to naff off. I even offered to CC them my PCA letters to prove I wasn't telling fibs (why don't they use their lie-detector phone technology to PROVE insurance claims instead of just DISPROVE them?!).

Of course, some might say that when the police receive any complaint against a minicab driver the first thing they should do is check he has insurance... Small children play out on my street, and this was Saturday lunchtime so he was lucky he didn't hit any. And he was driving for reward with no insurance, according to the national insurance databus.

 

[Softus]

Data Protection would prevent a member of the public discovering the Owner/Kepper of a Vehicle from the Registration Plate..legally speaking, although I understand there are ways and means around this...

Sorry BS, but this is slightly incorrect. DVLA is authorised to disclose the information to anyone who can give a reasonable cause for enquiring.

For example, my car was shunted (and damaged) in a situation much like AdamW's - I wrote to DVLA (get the details from the web site), paid the required fee (£2.50 I think), and received the registered keeper's details within a fortnight.

The police wrote and informed me that they would not be taking any further action, so I've written to the keeper asking for the driver's name and address, and pointing out that I hold the driver liable. I also pointed out that I'm considering bringing a private prosecution for the offences of failing to stop after an accident, and failing to either disclose insurance details or report the accident to the police within 24 hours.

If I don't get a reply then I'll prosecute the vehicle keeper for perverting the course of justice.

 

[AdamW]

Oh god, now you've told me I've pretty much GOT to do that now

Everything else I could think of would have ended up getting me in trouble (letting his tyres down, for example).

 

[Softus]

Oh god, now you've told me I've pretty much GOT to do that now

Everything else I could think of would have ended up getting me in trouble (letting his tyres down, for example).

Don't get mad, get even. You won't believe the satisfaction you'll reap from slowly but surely closing the net around the utter b**tard who shunted you.

If you need more advice, or just to keep in touch through the various stages of the process, please feel free to use my Email address.

 

[AdamW]

Cheers matey!

 

[Slogger]

untill he finds out where u live and then u lose your car to a grudge act

be wary

 

[kendor]

Data Protection would prevent a member of the public discovering the Owner/Kepper of a Vehicle from the Registration Plate..legally speaking, although I understand there are ways and means around this...

I was hit by a car many years ago and went to a nearby police station , it was obvious that they had no intentions of doing anything about it but to my shock the policewoman went over to the computer and got the drivers info from the number i'd given her , name , address the lot! this was well before the data prevention act was even thought of.

 

[empip]

A colleague's brand new, parked, motor was hit in a multi-storey, when he returned to the vehicle, his initial dismay lifted as he removed a note from under the windscreen, only to plunge again, twas a witness's revelation of the naughty woman driver's reg. number. Off he went to the local Bridewell, he too was given the name and address of the vehicle licence holder .... he took off and arrived at her home just after she had parked with his paint fresh on her 'bumper' .. She was so shocked at being located so quickly she admitted all and insurance did the rest... btw he would not allow her to read the windscreened note, so I guess she thought the witness had identified him/herself .. they had not !!
This too was many years ago.

 

[2scoops0406]

How about 3 or 4 bags of sugar in the fuel tank? (his not yours!!)

Sod the legal route, that's for losers and folks with more time than sense, just get even .


disclaimer, this is not an incitement to commit a criminal act

 

[empip]

I just knew bashing your bonce on the boiler or whatever had tipped the balance .... btw sh ite white or s exy brown sugar, 3 or 4 that is a little vague can you be more precise?
Thought so whilst the scientific mind wrestles over the number of bags .. the simple approach probably is better .... failing that, xmas tree time approaches and another batch of 'sawn-off' trees will eventually be trimmed to shape... This is mad !
Notso cold this morning tho' I had -7°C at 7-00am yesterday, -3 today.