NIP for cloned plates - how to respond?

Soldato
Joined
6 Oct 2004
Posts
18,614
Location
Birmingham
My partner has just had a NIP come through for a speeding offense on Christmas day.

We were about 400 miles away at the time using my car, with her car sat on the drive the whole time (although I'm not sure how we can prove this :().

However, I have an MOT certificate from 7th December, with the mileage at the time on it, and the current mileage on the car is only 2 miles more (basically the distance from the MOT centre to home), whereas the distance to the location of the offense is 14 miles by the shortest possible route - I assume this will be sufficient evidence that we couldn't possibly have been there at the time.

She is currently on the phone to 101 to report the plates being cloned, however wanted to check how we should respond to the NIP - there's no option for "it wasn't my car and I have no idea who was driving".

Yes we have tried contacting them, however it's an answer phone only number with an estimated response in 3 working days (so middle of next week at the earliest), and she's understandably a bit ****** off and worried about it
 
Think you'll just have to wait for them to respond unfortunately. Collate your evidence of the MOT certificate and mileage and that should hopefully be enough to present when needed.

Does the NIP contain a link where you can view the evidence? Usually you can review the photo of the offence. I'm assuming that whoever has cloned the plate has done so for the same car and colour as your partner. But perhaps there's an outside chance that they are particularly stupid and then it would be easy to prove the car is different (assuming the NIP was generated automatically without someone already spotting that).
 
you both didn't meet anyone/witnesses, or pay anything (especially petrol) during that trip ?

We met plenty of people - spent the whole day with family, but as far as I'm aware my partner didn't pay for anything on her card, only me. Unfortunately since the offense was on Christmas day we didn't actually go anywhere that particular day - just chilled in the lodge we were staying at.

I did pay for lots of diesel enroute, both on the way there and back, but again that was on my card, and also doesn't really prove we didn't spend Christmas day driving from Inverness to Birmingham, quickly nipped to Coventry for the lols, found a garage to roll back the clock on the car 26 miles and then drove back up to Inverness in time for dinner :p
 
We met plenty of people - spent the whole day with family, but as far as I'm aware my partner didn't pay for anything on her card, only me. Unfortunately since the offense was on Christmas day we didn't actually go anywhere that particular day - just chilled in the lodge we were staying at.

I did pay for lots of diesel enroute, both on the way there and back, but again that was on my card, and also doesn't really prove we didn't spend Christmas day driving from Inverness to Birmingham, quickly nipped to Coventry for the lols, found a garage to roll back the clock on the car 26 miles and then drove back up to Inverness in time for dinner :p


Photos with geo location?
 
Yup, hers shows she was in the lodge all day, mine has no history since my phone was off all day (forgot to charge:rolleyes:), but I'm in her photos and also the days before and after show me around the same area.

Looks like we have plenty of evidence, it's just what to put on the form...
 
TBH just send it back with a seperate letter.

What is the worst that can happen, they take you to court and you show them it wasn't you.
 
Yup, hers shows she was in the lodge all day, mine has no history since my phone was off all day (forgot to charge:rolleyes:), but I'm in her photos and also the days before and after show me around the same area.

Looks like we have plenty of evidence, it's just what to put on the form...
Was the lodge a rental/holiday one where you had to sign in?
If so that's very good evidence.

Also the picture from the camera may show enough of a difference between your car and the clone one if for example you've got stickers on the back etc.
 
Does the NIP include a picture or details of the car they caught? Ask for them - you might find that it's much easier than you think because the car which was photographed is clearly different to yours.

My parents had this happen, and their silver Lexus had magically turned into a black Nissan. So they just had to send photos of their car to prove it (which was pure BS by the way. The council had to consult the DVLA in the first place to find my parents details - ridiculous that they didn't also do a quick model and colour check before bothering the person. Or, at the very least, on us saying that isn't the right car, they should have been willing to then check themselves rather than putting the victim out further.)
 
Back
Top Bottom