A Porirua-based lawyer has managed to avoid paying a $35 speed camera ticket because of the way the photo was presented in court.
A speed camera in operation on Molesworth Street, Wellington. Photo: RNZ
Chris Ellis appeared in court yesterday.
He said his problem was with the Land Transport Act, and how digital images from road side cameras could be used as evidence.
Mr Ellis said when he asked for a copy of the speed camera photo, the number plate on his vehicle was illegible.
The law required an image to be provided to show the vehicle and number plate but in this case it had to be blown up to show them separately, he said.
"It requires the sitting judge to do this mental trick where they combine the image and say 'well based on all this evidence stuck on this bit of paper, we're going to find you guilty'.
"That's a problem, because the law says you've got to provide an image which clearly shows all those things together."
Mr Ellis said he doubted his situation had set a legal precedent.
