Overview

• She received a 12-month conditional discharge, a criminal conviction and a £20 court fee at Ipswich magistrates’ court.
• The teenager never held a driving licence, did not drive the Fiat and was unaware she legally owned it at the time of the offence.
• Under the Single Justice Procedure, prosecutors do not see defendants’ mitigation letters before charging in fast-track low-level cases.
• The DVLA, Magistrates Association and Bar Council have urged reforms to allow early review of personal circumstances in these private hearings.
• The Single Justice Procedure processes about 800,000 low-level criminal cases annually across England and Wales.