the a 5 bottle

THE • A 5 BOTTLE

Sir, read in the Daily Telegraph of Wednesday, November 22nd, that a police constable had thrown an empty bottle through the windscreen of a car which he estimated was travelling along A 5 through Towcester “at about too m.p.h.” I was appalled that there was no criticism of his action by the magistrates, who fined the driver Lb ) and disqualified him from driving for six months.

Obviously the driver was exceeding the speed limit (along a major road in the early hours of one Sunday) but the constable was surely exceeding his authority by acting in such an irresponsible manner. Fortunately in this case there was no more damage than a broken windscreen but one needs very little imagination to foresee far worse consequences.

The driver evidently failed to recognise the constable as he stood in the road and mistook him for a “drunk waving his arms about.” Since the incident took place outside the Saracen’s Head ” and the missile was an empty bottle, he obviously had good reason to make a mistake. After all, who but a drunk would throw a bottle at a car travelling at roo m.p.h. even if it was in a restricted area ?

Duffield. J. M. CLARKE. * • *