Over 100 coppers caught speeding

OVER 100 police officers have been caught speeding in the past two years in Wales, says an article in the Western Mail.

Information obtained by the Western Mail reveals that in 2007:

10 off-duty officers from North Wales were issued with fixed-penalty notices after being caught driving above the speed limit;

13 officers from the Dyfed-Powys force were issued with fixed-penalty notices after being caught speeding while on duty;

10 officers from Gwent Police have been prosecuted for speeding offences committed off duty. A further two cases are also being investigated by the force; and

In a 12-month period between July 2006 and 2007, 14 officers from South Wales Police were issued with court summonses and more than 80 speeding offences are still being investigated by the force.

Details of whether the offences were committed on or off duty were not revealed by South Wales Police, but a spokeswoman for the force said that in the vast majority of cases, officers were found to have a "legitimate" reason for exceeding the speed limit.

And in the previous year, even greater numbers were caught, according to the figures, which show that in 2006:

18 officers from North Wales were caught speeding, two of whom were on duty at the time of the offence;

Dyfed-Powys issued 12 fixed penalty notices to officers caught speeding on duty;

Gwent Police prosecuted 18 officers caught speeding off duty.

It was also revealed that in the same period nine officers from South Wales Police paid fines for breaching the speed limit, but details of whether the officers were on or off duty at the time were once again not disclosed.