Andy Miller, aged 78, from Accrington, Lancashire, suffered a heart attack when a bailiff insisted he go to a cash machine to get the money to pay a speeding fine and court costs, threatening to force his way into Mr Miller's house if he did not comply.
 
Mr Miller suffered a heart attack last October, a fact which the court had been made aware of by his family, and which was the reason he had not paid the fine originally. 1
 
ABD spokesman Nigel Humphries said:

"The ABD applauds the decision of justice secretary Jack Straw to carry out an investigation into this tragic incident; but we believe that both the bailiff, and the magistrates who sent him to Mr Miller's home, should be suspended pending the results of the investigation, which must be made public."

The ABD once again expresses grave concern that HMCS (Her Majesty's Court Service) is one of the partners in the 'Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety' that operates speed cameras 2. It is thus abundantly obvious that the courts cannot possibly act impartially in cases related to exceeding the speed limit, and further proof that these unaccountable quangos should be dissolved.
 
ABD Chairman Brian Gregory added:

"Whilst the magistrates who sent the bailiffs to Mr Miller's house acted wholly inappropriately, no-one should be in any doubt that it is the government's fanatical obsession with speed cameras and speed limits that is the root cause of this tragedy. It is particularly galling that this whole matter relates to speeding on a motorway, when everyone, including the police, know that the motorway speed limit is 40 years out of date."