Hertfordshire gentleman's motor licence

Hertfordshire Mercury, 15th May 1915

Transcript

Mr Aram M Papazian, of Bengeo House, Hertford, appeared at Biggleswade (Beds.) Sessions on Wednesday to answer a summons for failing to produce his motor-car licence when called upon to do so at Potton on April 30.  The defendant admitted the offence.  Inspector Pedley said he saw the defendant pull up his car in Biggleswade, and heard a conversation between him and another man as to the direction.  He gathered that the defendant was a foreigner, and asked him for his licence.  The defendant said he had not got it with him, but that the chauffeur had one.  The witness told him that that would not do.

The Magistrate’s clerk, in answer to a question, explained to the defendant that the police were entitled to ask any driver for his licence.

The defendant said: ‘I have a licence.  If it is such an important thing to show the licence on the request of every policeman there should be some words on it to that effect.’

The Magistrate’s Clerk pointed out that if the defendant had been able to produce his licence there would have been no trouble.  The law said it must be produced when demanded by a police officer.

The defendant said: ‘I was not allowed a minute in which to produce my licence, whereas in France I should have been given 48 hours.’

It appeared that the licence was issued in Hertfordshire, and the Magistrate’s Clerk said that on the Bedfordshire licences it was stated that they must be produced on demand.  This was not so in the case of Hertfordshire.

The defendant stated that when he started out on the day in question he did not intend to drive himself, but he did so afterwards.

The Chairman said that the defendant’s explanation was quite satisfactory, and the Bench knew from information received that everything about him was satisfactory.  He had committed a technical offence, and it was their duty to inflict a fine, but it would not be a severe one : five shillings.

 

 

 

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