An Esher woman has been forced to pay more £400 for speeding, despite claiming police had written the wrong licence plate number on the initial fine she was sent in the post.

Staines Magistrates’ Court heard Helena Watkins, 44, who lives in Copsem Drive, was caught at 10.20am on Tuesday, February 24, by a police enforcement camera, driving a Toyota Landcruiser on A307, Thames Ditton, at 42mph.

But Mrs Watkins told the court, at her appearance on Thursday, September 10, she had not paid the initial fine sent through the post because the number plate was wrong.

She said: “Had the summons come through with the correct number plate, I would have paid it there and then. My husband suggested I shouldn’t pay it and query it at court.”

At first, Mrs Watkins said she had not been speeding on the morning in question and was only pleading guilty because she wanted to “close the matter”. However, she was informed by the usher unless she fully admitted her guilt, the court could not accept her plea.

Mrs Watkins, who represented herself, then decided to accept her guilt for the offence.

She was fined £367 and made to pay costs of £43, with a £15 surcharge. She also had four penalty points added to her licence.

After the sentence was read to her, Mrs Watkins said: “I wish [the fine] was less, considering I would have paid it straight away if the licence plate number had of been right. It’s a huge amount of money.

“I won’t waste your time in future.”

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