Woman driver who shared dashcam of man swerving into her is also punished for lane-hogging
23 November 2022, 13:28
A woman who sent police dashcam video of a driver undertaking her was prosecuted because the footage showed she was in the wrong lane.
Philip Baxter was recorded swerving between lanes on the A45 Nene Valley Way in Northampton in January following an alleged 'road rage' incident. He claimed this was due to a mechanical fault.
Baxter, 33, from Kettering, was found guilty of dangerous driving at Northampton Magistrates' Court on November 8 and has since been disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Man seen driving dangerously on the A45 in dashcam clip
Read More: Balenciaga pulls ad campaign showing children holding teddy bears 'in bondage gear'
The woman who submitted the video to police was also given notice of intended prosecution, and opted to complete an education course.
Baxter was filmed undertaking a woman who was in the fast lane on January 24. The motorist, who was driving in lane three, flashed their headlights at Baxter, before moving into lane two.
At this point, Baxter careered across the carriageway, forcing the woman towards the central reservation barrier. The shaken motorist uploaded dash cam footage of the road rage incident to Northamptonshire Police’s website.
Police traced Baxter by his number plate and arrested him but he denied driving dangerously.
Baxter denied the charges but was found guilty of dangerous driving after a trial at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on November 8.
He was banned from from driving for 12 months, ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and told to pay £545 costs and £95 victim surcharge.
The woman who helped nail Baxter was also prosecuted for driving without due care and attention.
Police say the 59-year-old, from Deene, Corby, Northants., remained in the off-side lane prior to the incident, when the nearside lane was clear. She received a notice of intended prosecution and took the option to complete an education course.
PC Mo Allsopp-Clarke, of Northamptonshire Police’s Safer Roads Team said: “Baxter pleaded not guilty to the offence, claiming his vehicle had a mechanical defect, which the magistrates’ did not accept. The video evidence clearly showed that he deliberately swerved into lane two, causing the other driver to take evasive action to avoid a collision.
“Baxter’s recklessness could have easily ended in tragic consequences, and I’m pleased the courts have dealt with him positively.”
