Operation Snap: Two men admit dangerous driving in Chapel Brampton

Two drivers have pleaded guilty at Northampton Magistrates’ Court to dangerous driving in a Northamptonshire village after footage capturing the pair’s reckless actions was submitted to the county police force.

Kevin Rowley and Michael Drage were recorded by another driver’s dash-cam engaging in an alleged “road rage” incident as they drove along Brampton Lane in Chapel Brampton on May 21 this year.

In the footage, 59-year-old Rowley and Drage, aged 50, could be seen overtaking each other in their respective KIA Sportage and Mercedes cars, brake checking as well as at times driving at excessive speed on the rural road.

The footage was uploaded to the Force’s Operation Snap online portal and when reviewed, police officers believed that the video proved Rowley and Drage had deliberately caused the other to take evasive action, endangering both themselves and other road users.

Both drivers were interviewed and were subsequently charged with driving dangerously. The pair appeared before magistrates on Monday, September 4, where they pleaded guilty to the offence.

Rowley of Camelot Way, Northampton, and Drage of Falcutt Way, Northampton, were both disqualified from driving for 12 months and will have to take an extended driving test to regain their licences. Each must also complete 150 hours of unpaid community work, pay £85 costs and £114 victim surcharge.

PC Mo Allsopp-Clarke of Northamptonshire Police’s Safer Roads Team said: “The actions of Kevin Rowley and Michael Drage were not only reckless and dangerous, but purely selfish. It is clear from the footage that the manner of their driving put innocent road users at risk.

“Together with our Northamptonshire Safer Roads Alliance partners, reducing the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on our roads remains our focus, and we are pleased two more dangerous drivers have been taken off our roads.

“We take instances of poor driving very seriously and through Operation Snap, 16 drivers have been successfully prosecuted for dangerous driving since its launch four years ago and we would encourage people to install dash-cams to help us make our roads safer for everyone.”

People can report driving offences by uploading video evidence via a simple online portal on the Force website and completing a form, which automatically creates a witness statement to provide a full account of the incident. 
 
For more information about Operation Snap or for details on how to submit video footage, visit the Northamptonshire Police website at www.northants.police.uk/OpSnap