'Speeding' woman is let off by police

Apr 16 2009 by Sam Wood, The Journal

A HUNGRY woman caught speeding twice by the same camera in just over three minutes, despite stopping off for a McDonald’s in between, has been let off her fine and penalty points by the police.

On August 22 last year, Gill Whitmore was twice clocked by a mobile camera going at 38mph in a 30 zone on Ryhope Road in Sunderland.

She had travelled a distance of around three-quarters of a mile up and down the road and bought a snack at the Drive Thru hatch in three minutes, 23 seconds, according to the police speed gun.

Miss Whitmore, a single mother from Waldron Square in Hendon, contested the tickets and points.

And Northumbria Police have now written to her to say they have decided to let her off with a warning.

The 45-year-old, who works as a kitchen assistant at South Moor Secondary School, said: “It’s such a relief seeing these charges dropped. I have been beside myself with worry.

“The journey in between the two speed camera flashes could not have been done in the timeframe indicated by the police evidence and I can now stop worrying. It is just impossible that I could have driven that distance and been to McDonald’s in that amount of time.

“I had nipped out to get some food for my kids and then I decided to get a sausage and egg McMuffin from McDonald’s.”