NSW Police ordered to pay ex-cop $5k after issuing him with ‘improper’ speeding ticket

Police have been ordered to pay a whopping $5000 to a driver accused of speeding, here’s how it happened.

A driver accused of speeding by police has fought the fine and won back nearly $5,000, after turning the tables and investigating the officer who charged him.

Jeffrey Little was pulled over in July last year for supposedly driving 26km/hr over the 90km limit at a stretch of highway.

But Mr Little, himself a former high profile detective who lives on the Central Coast, told news.com.au outside of court “I knew in my heart of hearts” he hadn’t been speeding at all.

The ex-cop disputed the penalty and racked up $4,477 in legal costs battling the charge, which was eventually withdrawn.

Magistrate Alan Railton ordered NSW Police in Wyong local court on Wednesday to pay the full legal costs of Mr Little.

The magistrate also lambasted the police, noting a number of errors had led to the speeding penalty, including failing to test and log the speeding device.

The officer who issued the incorrect speeding ticket.

The police officer said “no comment” outside court.

“The officer in charge gave evidence the relevant tests were carried out but were not noted in the log,” Magistrate Railton said.

He said he would not pass judgment on the credit of the cop who issued the speeding ticket.

However, the magistrate did add that “the investigation … was conducted in an unreasonable and improper manner.”

“I am of the opinion that the failure to record the log and … failure to comply with NSW standard operating procedures amount to an improper manner.

“Any deviation from the standard operating manner is improper.”

He also called into question the public’s ability to trust in the accuracy of these devices if the procedure.

Outside court, the officer responsible for issuing the fine said “no comment”. A NSW Police spokesperson also declined to comment.

The ‘improper’ fine happened in a 90km/hr zone. File picture. Picture Dean Martin

As part of Mr Little’s legal challenge against his former employer, he issued subpoenas which uncovered a number of “improper” practices surrounding the use of the LIDAR.

“No one hates a bad cop more than a good cop,” Mr Little added.

Mr Little said he was baffled as to why the highway patrol officer didn’t just issue him a caution as he hasn’t had a blemish on his driving record for the past 36 years.

He said he was incentivised the pursue the police after receiving the penalty for “something I hadn’t done”.

Mr Little confirmed he is the same Jeffrey Little who led the strike force into church officials to investigate allegations of child sexual abuse in the Maitland area.

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Originally published as NSW Police ordered to pay ex-cop $5k after issuing him with ‘improper’ speeding ticket