Northampton motorist, 76, among three banned for driving past police station while using mobile

The trio were all spotted close to Towcester police station in April 2024 committing one of the so-called 'fatal five' driving offences. Two were locals and the other a 76-year-old from Northampton.

According to court documents, THOMAS BRIAN was behind the wheel of a Peugeot Partner on the A5, Watling Street, while using a hand-held device at 6:42am on April 17 — and again at 6.39am on April 19. Each offence carries a six-point penalty, leading to magistrates disqualifying the 33-year-old, of Burcote Fields, Towcester, for six months under the 'totting up' procedure and ordering him to pay a total of £796 in fines, surcharges to fund victim services and prosecution costs.

Magistrates also sentenced 76-year-old ROBERT JOHN MOCKRIDGE for the same offence of driving while using a hand-held device in a Jaguar XE Prestige near Towcester police station at 9.34pm on April 19. Mockridge, of Thatchwell Court, Northampton, was banned for six months for repeat offending and ordered to pay a total of £398.

And EDWARD RONALD WESLEY PRODGER was also banned for six months for accumulating more than 12 points on his licence by driving a Renault Trafic SL27 Sport while using a hand-held device on Watling Street at 5:56am on April 22. The 34-year-old, of Bickerstaffes Road, Towcester, was fined £666 and ordered to pay a total of £356 surcharge and costs.

All three were sentenced under the single justice procedure — using paperwork rather than a full court appearance — on January 6, 2025.

Driving while using a mobile phone is what police term a 'fatal five' offence — the others are speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, drink or drug driving and careless or inconsiderate driving — which are most commonly linked to deaths and serious injuries on roads.

According to statistics, around 98 per cent of collisions on roads are caused by human error rather than unavoidable issues, such as mechanical failure. Latest official figures showed 29 people died following road collisions in Northamptonshire in 2023 while another 271 were treated for serious and life-changing injuries.

Northamptonshire Police Safer Roads Team Manager Matthew O’Connell said: “It’s easy to trivialise or criticise our operations as being motivated by ticket numbers or to raise revenue, but it only takes one momentary lapse of concentration for a collision to take place.

“We see, all too often, the devastating consequences collisions can have on those involved or left behind following the loss of a loved one. So, we are not going to apologise for policing our roads and challenging those who use them irresponsibly and illegally.”

Laws were first were introduced to restrict the use of mobile phones while driving in the UK in 2003 but have been significantly tightened up over time as technology has developed. The most recent change was in 2022, making it illegal to use a hand-held mobile device for any purpose while behind the wheel.