'Mr Loophole' has warned Brits over a ‘foolish’ number plate offense.
Lawyer, Nick Freeman, has revealed that drivers need to be aware of their number plates and being caught by automated number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.
The 'serious' offence in question could even end up landing motorheads in jail, so you may want to make note of it.
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In a report prepared for British ministers, former surveillance camera commissioner Tony Porter revealed that six per cent of cars had a form of technology to avoid the threat of being caught by ANPR cameras.
An investigation, conducted from an ANPR camera trained on a dual carriageway in Gatwick, has stated that as much as two million Brits could be tampering with their number plates in a hopes of steering clear of being caught out by cameras designed to enforce Ulez zones and speed limits.
Phoney plates can be purchased for as little as a tenner with their popularity expected to rise following the expansion of Ulez (Ultra Low Emission Zone) in London.
The study went on to find that 41 out of 683 number plates tested were using some kind of anti-ANPR technology.
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Alongside this, one in 15 UK vehicles had some form of tech in place to avoid ANPR detection.
Freeman revealed that committing such a crime would be 'foolish' given that it could result in a prison sentence.
"If you tamper with your number plate in any respect to try and avoid the consequences of going through a camera and caught, you will be interviewed and charged," he told Jacob Rees-Mogg on GB News.
He continued to reveal: "People don’t realise how serious number plate tampering is. The courts deal with it very strictly.
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"We’re reliant on robotic policing now, and in my view it would be extremely foolish for anybody to tamper with their number plate."
The 'Mr Loophole' lawyer went on to warn motorists: "You will end up eventually landing yourself in deep water, the authorities will catch up."
Commenting on the rapid advancement of technology when it comes to policing, Freeman explained: "It used to be perceived as fair game.
"If you were caught for speeding 30 years ago, an officer would practice his discretion and you may get a warning."
Now, the lawyer said, it's all 'robotic',
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"The cameras are literally everywhere and the speed limits are coming down to a level the motorist doesn’t understand," he concluded. "We’re living in a decriminalised society for everyone but the motorist."
Rhiannon Ingle