After being formally charged with obstruction of a speed camera in Britain, a man has pledged to keep his efforts going after alleging that officers had illegally blocked pavements.
Jack Cureton (63) from Barnsley, South Yorkshire was accused of accusing officers who manned road safety vans, blocking him in his wheelchair’s ability to drive on footpaths around his town.
Retired engineer would walk two sticks in order to block mobile speed cameras units. He also reprimanded anyone who was responsible for parking his van.
Over the three-year campaign Cureton used an umbrella on other occasions to block the camera’s ability to catch speeding motorists.
The elderly man claimed that the van was illegally parked on the street and that it was blocking him from driving his mobility scooter.
Cureton claimed that vans are illegally blocked from the street.
“So, I’ve been blocking his view. He can either park his scooter in front of me or I can stand tall using my sticks. I was also given an umbrella by a passerby to protect the lens.
The grandfather would target the vehicle at the same location near his bungalow a total of 12 times before he was finally fined £400 at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court for restricting a designated person conducting speed checks.
Jack Cureton (63), of Barnsley in South Yorkshire accused road safety officers of preventing his mobility scooter safe driving on the pavement.
Over the three years of Cureton’s campaign, Mr Cureton also used an umbrella to stop the camera from seeing speeding motorists using the A61 Wakefield Road.
The speed camera van has parked at Wakefield Road, a notorious 30-mph zone in South Yorkshire.
Cureton however claims the vehicle is illegally impeding the sidewalk, contrary to Rule 244 in the Highway Code.
Rule 244 stipulates that you must not park on London’s pavements, or anywhere else unless it is permitted by signs.
“Parking on pavements can cause serious inconvenience to pedestrians, wheelchair users or people with vision impairments as well as people using prams or pushchairs.
Mr Cureton’s efforts to argue with law enforcement landed him in hot water, after he recorded a number of his encounters on the A61 last year.
Self-filmed footage shows Cureton arguing with an officer who is speed-checking gear in the back of a safety van.
On the other hand, Mr Cureton is heard asking questions like: ‘Excuse you officer. Are you aware that you have illegally parked your vehicle?’ Before adding, ‘It isn’t fair. It really isn’t.
He said, “It’s illegal to park here. You would be ticketed.” Officer, you’re illegally parking.
As he points his camera into the rear of the van, Mr Cureton adds: ‘One law for the police, one law for everybody else’.
Rule 244 (Highway Code) states, ‘You cannot park partly or entirely on London’s pavements. You should also not park elsewhere unless there are signs allowing it.
Self-filmed footage shows Cureton arguing with a cop who is speed-checking the equipment of a road safety van.
Cureton explained why he took such drastic measures by saying, “That speed van is illegally parked on pavement. I cannot get around it with my mobility scooter.
“It is difficult to stand, because my diabetes has left me with only four feet.
“I’ve received a lot support because people don’t like it being just one rule for drivers or members of the public, and yet another for police officers and for motorists.
Cureton is also a driver of a car. He said, ‘There aren’t signs warning drivers that the pavement could be blocked, or that drivers can park on the footpath. And there’s no drop kerb at this location.
After an accident on A61 Wakefield Road in 2013, Cureton was charged with obstruction of a designee/inspector.
According to Mr Cureton, the vehicle was illegally blocking the road in violation of Rule 244 (Highway Code). Pictured: From inside the van, a police officer snaps a photo of Mr Cureton
Mr Cureton was found guilty by magistrates of obstructed a speed enforcement van on Wakefield Road at about 1.15pm on 7 December by parking his mobility scooter behind the vehicle and shouting obscenities at the Policing Support Officer inside
Magistrates found him guilty of obstruction to a speed enforcement vehicle on Wakefield Road, at around 1.15pm on December 7. He parked his mobility scooter behind it and shouted obscenities at the Police Support Officer.
The Sheffield Magistrates Court heard that Mr Cureton was still standing behind the vehicle and blocking the view of the speed enforcement camera, as well as intimidating the Policing Officer.
Cureton declined all requests to interview him and was found guilty by Sheffield Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 9 November.
He was made to pay £400 in fines and costs, plus a £25 victim surcharge, and was handed a 12-month conditional discharge.
Scott Dernie, South Yorkshire Police’s Head of Safety Cameras & Ticket Processing, said: ‘Our staff do not deserve to be intimidated and threatened while carrying out their duties.
“We are happy with the court’s decision and we hope that it will be a wake-up call to all who see or hear such behavior towards staff.”
Unperturbed, Cureton committed to obstructing speed cameras in the future.
“If it is parked again, I will make the same move again.” He stated that the vehicle should not block pavement.