Re-trial for 'speeding' reverend
Aspley Guise clergyman faces a full re-trial
A Jury has been suddenly discharged in the case of an Aspley Guise clergyman accused of lying to police to avoid a speeding ticket.
Hospital chaplain Rev Phillip Gibson, 56, was caught on camera travelling at 39mph on a road that has a 30mph limit.
Now the reverend, who is pleading not guilty to trying to pervert the course of justice, will face a full re-trial.
Days after he was caught speeding, he wrote a letter to police claiming it was his wife who was driving at the time. But when police looked at video footage it was clear it had been him behind the wheel, Luton Crown Court heard.
In fact PC Stephen Ward, who was operating the mobile speed camera, recalled the clergyman covering the camera lens with his hand and accusing him of being a "waste of time".
Reverend Gibson told the court his short term memory was affected by medication he was taking for depression, and he remembered months later that he was in fact driving the car at the time.
When asked why he had given his wife's name he said: "Because I had no recollection of the event."
He told investigators: "I was adamant it was not me and absolutely convinced it was my wife. The information I had given was absolutely an honest mistake."
The jury was discharged from reaching their verdict on Friday by Recorder Stephen Nathan QC.
Reverend Gibson was granted unconditional bail until the re-trial in July.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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