Speed conviction for Staffordshire ambulance man

Jan David Morales, who has a string of convictions for fraud, theft, perjury, kidnap and child porn offences stretching back over 40 years, was caught by a mobile speed camera, a court heard.

Morales, who was not present for the hearing at Cannock Magistrates Court yesterday, was spotted doing 50mph in a 40mph zone on the A513 near Tamworth in November 2011. But the court also heard he had already been convicted of speeding on a previous occasion, and had a driving ban.

Miss Sarah Bowen, prosecuting on behalf of the CPS, told the court the case had taken so long to come to court due to changes in the 60-year-old's defence.

"He first indicated as his defence he was not the driver and he had not received the notification through the post," she said. However two witnesses from the Safer Road Partnership were called along with letters which had been sent to his business address in Tamworth, and he also responded to one with a signed admission he was the driver.

He however did not then respond to further notices offering him the speed awareness course or that he was summoned to court.

Morales, of Glascote Road, Tamworth, sent no indication to the court on why he would not be appearing at the case, which related to his VW Sharan speeding, however he had at a previous hearing on June last year given a not guilty plea. Chairman of the magistrates Mr Keith Taylor, said the matter was proved in Morales' absence.

Mr Taylor issued another summons for May 7 for Morales to appear as they would be considering another disqualification.

Last week another judge called for a change in the law after questioning why Morales would be allowed to direct a private ambulance service and drive around vulnerable patients without any checks being run on his criminal record.