First prosecutions linked to 'NIP-farm' driving offence offenders hit the courts

The first prosecutions for drivers who attempted to evade prosecution for speeding and red light offences linked to so-called NIP-farms have made it to the courts.

In July, Greater Manchester Police announced that a simple two-bed terraced house in Oldham had become one of many sites where a prolific nationwide "scam" was taking place, where driving offences were being pinned on fictitious people in an attempt to make the tickets "go away".

After eight months on investigation into the NIP farms, so called for the Notices of Intended Prosecution issued to drivers suspected of speeding or running red lights, the registered keepers of the involved vehicles have been hauled before the courts to answer for failing to provide information to the police - a charge which carries a statutory six penalty point punishment, enough to see new drivers have their licence revoked.

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Greater Manchester police started prosecuting 126 vehicle keepers in phase one of the action against those who had allegedly used the service, with hundreds of NIPs coming back from the same address, listing fictitious people as the driver of a vehicle so the real driver could evade justice for their actions.

Of these, 78 admitted or were found guilty of the offence, with the remaining 48 cases, including 15 businesses, needing to come back to court for case management hearings. Several people had initially pleaded not-guilty, but after being faced with the evidence against them, many changed their plea to guilty.

Police prosecutors Mike Arden and Claire Cleary were at Stockport Magistrates Court to prosecute a number of cases against people