Man, 43, sentenced for harassing speed van operatives

A 43-year-old man has been sentenced following a prolonged campaign of harassment directed at five speed enforcement van operatives.

Over a period of about 14 months, Paulius Charitonovas repeatedly targeted members of the Road Safety Enforcement Team while they were carrying out their duties at locations across the county.

Northamptonshire Magistrates’ Court heard that Charitonovas approached enforcement vans 33 times between March 2025 and May 2026, challenging the operatives about their presence and activities, as well as repeatedly attempting to film staff inside their vehicles.

On numerous occasions, Charitonovas went beyond simply approaching the vehicles with his conduct including attempting to catch operatives unaware by hiding nearby and suddenly approaching. At other times, he used a camera mounted on a stick in an effort to film through windows that could not otherwise be accessed.

On one occasion, he crossed four lanes of a dual carriageway in order to approach the enforcement van.

The footage he took was subsequently uploaded to his personal Facebook account and shared on a public social media page, designed to attract attention, generate comments and engagement from other users, and increase his online following.

The court found that this pattern of behaviour amounted to harassment and that the repeated incidents had a considerable impact on those affected.

Prosecutors described a persistent and escalating pattern of behaviour that was not motivated by any legitimate purpose but instead sought to provoke reactions from enforcement staff and generate content for publication on social media. The repeated posting of videos and commentary online amplified the impact of the harassment, exposing the operatives to public scrutiny and unwanted attention.

Charitonovas was subsequently charged with five counts of harassment and after pleading guilty to the offences at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on October 27, he was sentenced to a 12-month community order and 300 hours of unpaid work. A two-year restraining order was also issued which prevents him from going within 200 metres of any fixed or mobile speed enforcement vehicle or any officer operating speed enforcement equipment.

Speaking after the sentencing, PC Mo Allsopp-Clarke from the Force’s Safer Roads Team said: “Our speed enforcement operatives are simply doing their job to help keep people safe on Northamptonshire’s roads and they should not face harassment, intimidation or unwanted attention while carrying out their duties.

“We know that speed enforcement vans are not always popular with motorists but they play an important role in reducing casualties and encouraging safer driving behaviour in locations where there is a known risk of collisions or community concern about speeding.

“The prolonged and deliberate nature of Mr Charitonovas’s actions had a significant impact on the members of staff involved, and we welcome the court's recognition of that harm.

“There are also some common misconceptions about speed enforcement and speeding fines that I would like to challenge.

“Money raised from speeding tickets does not go to Northamptonshire Police. It actually goes directly to central government. Decisions about enforcement activity are based on road safety considerations, not revenue generation. Our sole focus is preventing collisions, reducing injuries and saving lives.

“The vast majority of drivers understand why speed limits are in place and comply with them. We will continue to support our enforcement staff and take action against anyone who targets them for carrying out this important public safety role.”