At Hatfield Petty Sessions Nancy Johnson, of 19 Northwood Road, Highgate, a young lady of independent means, was charged with driving a motor car in a manner dangerous to the public on the The defendant pleaded guilty to both charges. P.C. Hagger stated that on the day in question, at 4.15 p.m., he was on duty on the London Road on his bicycle about a mile and half out of Hatfield, when he saw the defendant driving a motor car from London. She was driving very fast, and the car was swerving from one side of the road to the other. He signalled to her to stop, and she pulled up about 50 yards after passing him.
When the car stopped the defendant changed seats with a man who was sitting beside her. He went up to the defendant and spoke to her as to the dangerous manner in which she was driving, but she made no reply. He asked her to produce her licence, and she replied that she had not got one. The man who was with her also said he had not got a licence, but he produced an application form for a licence.
The defendant said she did not realise she was travelling so fast, and admitted she had no licence at the time, but had taken one out since. She was under the impression that if the gentleman who was with her had a licence it was all right, as she had driven frequently before. She was not a learner, but a competent driver. Mr Lloyd: ‘How long have you been driving?’ The defendant : ‘I have driven for over a year.’ Mr Lloyd : ‘Without a licence?’ The defendant : ‘Yes, I thought that if I had a person with me who had a licence it was all right. I did not realize that I was doing wrong.’ The Chairman said that the Magistrates had decided to fine the defendant 40 shillings in each case, £4 in all, and she must consider that she had got off cheaply.
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