If you have been charged with a speeding offence, you need expert advice and a skilled solicitor on your side.

At Gepp, we have over 40 years of experience helping clients fight speeding offences and other motoring offences. Our skilled team will work tirelessly to defend your rights and protect your driving record as we understand how important your driving licence is to you and the hardship that this can cause you if you lose your licence.

Contact our Specialist legal team today for expert representation on 01206 369889 or email motoringenq@gepp.co.uk.

Why choose us?

Our Specialists have a proven track record of success in helping clients fight speeding offences and other motoring offences. Gepp Solicitors have been based in and around Colchester for over 30 years.  We have cultivated and maintained strong links to Colchester Magistrates Court, attending this court on a regular basis.  There are many national solicitors for motoring law, but few have experience at Colchester Magistrates Court to rival ours.

See our Colchester case studies here.

We understand that every case is unique, and we will work closely with you to develop a clear legal strategy tailored to your specific situation, as we understand this is personal to you.  You will have the confidence that you are the priority throughout this process.  We will aim to ensure that your solicitor is available to speak with you whenever you need some clarity or certainty leading up to, during and after your Hearing.

Our Specialist Solicitors have a wealth of expertise in all Motoring Law, we stay up-to-date on the latest changes in the law to provide you with the best possible representation. We can assist you at what is likely to be a stressful time for you and your family.  Roger Brice and Elizabeth Bradshaw are familiar faces at Court with a proven track record of exceptional results for their clients.  Our Office in Chelmsford is only a short distance away ensuring our continued and excellent representation of both existing and new clients throughout Essex.

We are proud to hold Lexcel and Criminal Litigation Accreditations, issued by the Law Society.  This involves the firm undergoing a rigorous audit process which ensures we maintain the highest levels of client care.

Our services

Speeding offences: We can help you fight a speeding offence, whether it was issued by radar, laser, or pacing.

Careless driving/driving without due care and attention: If you have been charged with careless driving, we can help you fight the charges and protect your driving record.

If you have been charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, our specialists can provide you with the expertise you need and represent you at Colchester Magistrates Court to the highest level.

If proceedings have been issued against you our specialist solicitors will provide you with information of the likely outcome of your case, the options available to you and defend you in court, as we understand how important your driving licence is to you.

Avoid a driving ban in Colchester

In the UK, speeding offences are a common occurrence and can result in fines, penalty points on your licence, or even disqualification from driving. The severity of the penalty depends on how much over the speed limit you were driving and other factors such as previous offences or the location of the offence. The UK has different speed limits for different types of roads, and there are also variable speed limits on some highways. Speeding offences are typically detected through the use of speed cameras, radar, or pacing. If you are caught speeding, you may be offered the option of attending a speed awareness course instead of receiving penalty points, but this is only available for certain offences. It is important to seek legal advice from an experienced solicitor if you have been charged with a speeding offence, as they can provide you with expert representation and help you navigate the legal process.

Speeding offences:

Depending on the speed limit and the amount above this you are said to be going the penalties range from 3 points upwards and can include disqualification from driving.  Our Advocates are infinitely skilled in presenting persuasive and masterful arguments to the Court on your behalf to maximise your chances on keeping your licence and staying on the road.

The penalties for speeding will depend on how far above the limit you were driving. The minimum penalty is a £100 fine and 3 penalty points, but for more serious offences you can receive fine of up to £1,000 (£2,500 for motorway offences) and up to 6 points.

In some circumstances, a serious speeding offence can also result in disqualification from driving and a speeding offence can also push you over the penalty point limit, resulting in a ‘totting up’ ban.

Totting up:

One of the most common ways drivers can face a driving ban is if they accumulate too many penalty points from different offences in a set period. This is commonly referred to as a ‘totting up’ ban.

If you receive 12 or more points within a 3 year period you are then potentially subject to a ‘totting up’ which means a disqualification of at least 6 months and may increase if a previous disqualification has to be taken into account.  Our solicitors have a proven track record of utilising commanding and powerful arguments to the Court to persuade it that exceptional hardship exists which when accepted means you are allowed to continue driving.  Expert representation is essential in such cases to maximise chances of this being successfully argued on your behalf.

 How long a driving ban will last

The court will decide how long the disqualification will last, based on how serious they think the offence is. You can be banned from driving if you already have 12 or more penalty points on your licence. You can read a printable version of the gov.uk guide to driving disqualifications here

Offences which can result in criminal charges include:   

• Speeding
• Driving Whilst Using a Mobile Phone
• Drink Driving
• Drug Driving
• Dangerous Driving
• Careless Driving
• Causing Death by Dangerous Driving
• Causing Death by Careless Driving
• Driving Ban
• Driving Ban Appeals
• Driving without Insurance
• Failing to Provide a Specimen
• Failing to Provide Driver Information
• Failing to Stop & Report an Accident
• Totting Up
• Exceptional Hardship Speeding

Contact us today on 01206 369889 or email motoringenq@gepp.co.uk.

About Colchester Magistrates Court       

Driving without due care and attention

The Colchester Magistrates Court address is:

St Botolphs Circus
Magdalen Street
Colchester, Essex
CO2 7EF

Parking at Colchester Magistrates’ Court

Colchester Magistrates’ Court has no onsite parking. There is however plenty of car parks within a short walking distance including the Britannia Car Park, the NCP Colchester Osborne Steet car park and Total Car Parks.

It is easily accessible both by train and car, with the nearest Train Station Colchester Town being only a short walk from the Court Building.  It is important that you arrive on time and promptly for your hearing.

Cost of Representation

Our Fees are discussed at the very beginning of the case.  We offer the highest quality of service and are able to guarantee a fixed fee tailored to your matter ensuring you have peace of mind of the costs involved.

Please contact us on 01206 369889 or email motoringenq@gepp.co.uk.

Frequently asked questions

What can I do if the DVLA has revoked my licence?

I’m not guilty, how can I challenge it?  You are entitled to appeal against a speeding offence. The way that you challenge this is by taking your case to court. You have to confirm a not guilty plea and the matter will then proceed to a court hearing.  Common reasons to challenge such range from an incorrect NIP to improperly calibrated or used speed measuring equipment.

What should I do if I receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution from the Police?  There is a time limit within which you must respond namely 28 days providing information of the driver.  If you indicate a not guilty plea you can request a court hearing to contest matters.

What happens if I miss my speed awareness course?

Case studies

Case study 1

Roger Brice deals with cases in many courts in Essex and in Colchester Magistrates Court. He recently dealt with an unusual and in some ways complicated case where a driver who had already successfully argued exceptional hardship, and therefore was still driving with 12 penalty points on his driving licence, had been convicted of careless driving. The agricultural machinery that he was driving on a public road collided with the rear of another motor vehicle and he faced further penalty points for that offence.

The client had argued on the previous occasion that if he were unable to drive he would lose his employment driving the agricultural machinery, which is a specialised form of employment and as a result of that he would be unable to support his family, his young children and could potentially lose his home.

Roger Brice developed an effective strategy to bring new factors and evidence when he attended with the client at Colchester Magistrates Court.

Roger Brice’s submissions were successful.  The Magistrates said that it was an unusual case but they had been persuaded that a wholly separate argument had been put before them and therefore they were allowing the client to drive further with now 15 penalty points endorsed upon his licence.

This was a case successfully fought at Colchester Magistrates Court.

Case study 2

Roger Brice represented a client who had been charged with driving a motor vehicle with no insurance, known as a strict liability offence.

This case, if proved, would have led to the client receiving at least 6 penalty points. This would have led him to have 12 penalty points on his driving licence and be liable to be disqualified for at least 6 months under the totting up provisions.

The case originally started in Colchester Magistrates Court but then was moved to Southend Magistrates Court both of which are courts in which Roger Brice regularly appears dealing with motoring cases.

Roger Brice was able to obtain information which cut across and overcame the prosecution evidence. Following further submissions the prosecution were persuaded that the prosecution should be stopped and accordingly this case which started in Colchester Magistrates Court finished successfullyat Southend Magistrates Court.

Case study 3

Roger Brice represented a client initially in connection with an allegation of driving at a speed in excess of 100mph in a 70mph speed limit.

That conviction would almost certainly have led to a minimum of 6 penalty points being endorsed upon the client’s licence. As she already had 6 penalty points on her licence this would have led to her being disqualified for 6 months under the “totting up” rules.

The case was originally one that begun under the Single Justice Procedure and would have gone to a Court in the West Midlands.  Roger Brice arranged for the case to be transferred to Colchester Magistrates Court. In the meantime the client acquired a further prosecution for driving a little over the speed limit in Wales which would have led to a further 3 penalty points.

The strategy therefore needed to be created whereby the most serious charge should be dealt with first. Roger Brice arranged for the case to be transferred to Colchester, (a court he attends regularly) and he successfully persuaded the Magistrates to impose a short 7 day period of disqualification thus avoiding a “totting up” disqualification and enabling the client to deal on her own with the matter which was dealt with in Wales, for which she subsequently received 3 penalty points.

The client was very pleased indeed with the result at Colchester Magistrates Court.

If you want to find out more about the services we can offer you, please feel free to get in touch with our motoring law solicitors in Chelmsford.

Call us

Chelmsford: 01245 493939
Colchester (by appointment only): 01206 369889

Email us
Main email: motoringenq@gepp.co.uk