Chesterfield driver hits out at 'gross miscarriage of justice' and is later escorted from building after motoring conviction hopes are 'dashed'
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Matthew Lee appeared before Judge Jonathan Taaffe at Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, September 7 in a bid to get the conviction imposed the previous week overturned.
The week before, Lee, of Frechville Street, Staveley, had been found guilty in his absence at a trial at Derby Magistrates’ Court after he had failed to attend the hearing, following the incident on November 17 last year.
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Hide AdThe 39-year-old told the court that he never leaves Chesterfield due to his mental health problems and physical dissability, and claimed that a “gross miscarriage of justice” had taken place because his trial had taken place away from Chesterfield, the place where the offence was committed.
The court watched dash-cam footage of Lee being cut up by another car on a roundabout in the town and then following it, flashing his lights, before eventually overtaking it and blocking up both carriageways.
He then sent the dash-cam footage to the police asking them to prosecute the other motorist, but was instead charged with driving without due care and attention himself.
He had then refused to enter a plea so a trial had been set, where Lee had received four penalty points on his licence and a £200 fine. He was also ordered to pay £90 in prosecution costs and a £32 victim surcharge.
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Hide AdSpeaking in his own defence, Lee said: “When I overtook the vehicle I had my indicators on and I closed the road to stop the driver committing any other offences.”
But when Judge Taaffe told him that clearly a motoring offence had been committed and that he wasn’t going to overturn the conviction, Lee said: “We are going to be seeing one another again. I am holding you in contempt of court and I will be having you removed.”
Lee was eventually escorted from the building by security staff.