The controversial legal loophole which allowed some drivers to get off with speeding charges is now no longer a thing.
Scotland's top judge, Lord Carloway, has closed a loophole which saw motorists claim official Police Scotland documents were invalid because they carried the signature of the wrong chief constable. Letters had Chief Constable Phil Gormley's name at the bottom rather than his successor Iain Livingstone.
The Daily Record reports that the judge ruled the notices of intended prosecution were still lawful, thereby giving prosecutors the go-ahead to take action against drivers issued with them last year.
It was previously reported that charges were dropped against some drivers for speeding, and other driving offences, because of the name blunder.
Lord Carloway, and two other judges sitting in Edinburgh, dismissed a long-running appeal by businessman John Scrymgeour-Wedderburn who was caught travelling at 55mph in a 40mph zone in Glenrothes in 2018.
Lord Carloway said: "The letter concluded with an electronic signature of a person who was not then the chief constable. This was an error but it was not one which affected the validity of the notice. It is not a requirement that the chief constable or even an officer of a senior rank be involved."
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