Dangerous M56 driver handed suspended prison sentence thanks to dashcam footage.

A man who put the lives of innocent motorists at risk has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Harvey Schofield appeared at Chester Magistrates’ Court today where he was handed a 12 week suspended prison sentence, 200 hours community service and a £620 fine after being found guilty of dangerous driving.

Schofield, 53, of Turnstone Road, Offerton, was also disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to take an extended driving test.

The case against him came about after a concerned member of the public submitted dashcam footage of Schofield’s dangerous driving on last March.

The dashcam footage was captured as Schofield travelled on the M56 in Cheshire close to the A540 turn off heading towards Deeside.

It shows him cut into the path of the driver who submitted the video then undertake a tipper truck before pulling out in front and breaking.

The case is believed to be the first of its kind in Cheshire where a motorist has been prosecuted for dangerous driving as a result of dashcam footage.

PC Liz Thompson from the Serious and Complex Collision Investigation Unit, Cheshire Police said:

“Firstly I would like to thank the member of the public who submitted the footage, without their support this prosecution would not have been possible.

The footage clearly showed that Schofield deliberately undertook the tipper truck, then for no apparent reason deliberately pulled out into the path of the vehicle and intentionally slammed on his brakes.

“Thankfully the driver of the truck was able to stop his vehicle in time, and did not collide with Schofield’s car. However, I have no doubt that had it not been for the drivers quick-thinking actions, there could have been a serious collision, and the lives of innocent motorists could have been put at risk.”

David Keane, police and crime commissioner for Cheshire, added:

“Dashcam footage is being used more and more by police to crack down on bad driving and help save lives. It is one of the innovative solutions police can use to prosecute those who are driving dangerously to ensure their actions don’t lead to serious injury or loss of life in the future.

I would encourage residents of Cheshire, who have captured evidence of people committing traffic offences, to submit it to Cheshire Constabulary to help reduce the number of serious incidents on our roads.”

Anyone looking to submit dashcam footage of incidents that have occurred on the Cheshire road network is urged to visit: https://www.cheshire.police.uk/advice-and-support/roads-and-vehicle-safety/submit-dashcam-footage/ .