He's never been to Australia, but he's got a speeding ticket

[Heracles 417]

LONDON - No one likes getting a speeding ticket in the post.

But when South Australian police sent one half way around the world to David Smart in northern England, the 65-year-old former surveyor was flabbergasted.

Mr Smart was fined $196 for driving 8km/hr (5 miles/hr) over the speed limit in the Adelaide Hills, despite the fact he has never been to Australia.

Adding to the mystery are claims by the police that the woman who owned the car allegedly involved signed a statutory declaration claiming Mr Smart had been behind the wheel.

"I've never been to Australia, which is a wonderful country I'm sure, and I would love to go there one day," Mr Smart told AAP from his home in Scunthorpe.

"And I've never had a ticket in my life, I'm pleased to say.

"The woman is obviously mistaken and where she got my name and address from I have no idea."

After consulting with local police in his home town of Scunthorpe, Mr Smart was advised not to pay the fine, which originally arrived in his letterbox last December.

However since then he has received a stern reminder from South Australian police, ordering him to pay up or risk being issued an even heftier fine.

The fine states that the car was caught speeding at 68km/hr in a 60km/hr zone on Adelaide Rd, Littlehampton, at 9am on December 14, 2007.

"The owner of this vehicle, Fluin, Kathryn Julia, has affirmed in a statutory declaration that you were the driver of the vehicle at the time of the alleged offence," the fine says.

Mr Smart says he has never heard of the woman and has no intention of paying the fine.

"I went to my local police station and they advised me against payment because I haven't been there," he said.

"I think if I get caught for speeding I'll have to give them Kathryn Fluin's name.

"And if the Australian police need a description of me, I look like (Neighbours character) Harold Bishop with a little moustache."

AAP

I can only imagine the first few ###### ###### ###### ###### ###### words when he opened the letter containing the fine..

Edited March 28, 2008 by Boo-Yah!

[mawilson 2,133]

Someone probably stole his identity and used it to emigrate to Australia.