Dropping charges

[24fan]

A month ago my dads girlfriend at the time was arrested. Steeling my dads car, driving while disqualified, driving without 3 party insurance, having an illegal substance and position of a wepon in public. She has done the I am so sorry act and my dad is now thinking about dropping charges against her. If he does this can he get into trouble him self for wasting police time?
Can anyone help I am worried for him.

[boxtops]

Quite possibly, yes - but apart from the first one, it looks to me as if all the others are police charges as they are criminal offences. I don't think he can do much about any of those.

[jno]

your dad isn't the one who'll lay charges. The police/ prosecution service (depends where you are) choose to do this, or not do it.

[24fan]

Ok so there's not much he can do (that's one good thing as he thinks he can drop them, stupid tried talking him out of it) I really wish he would let her go. We don't need someone like that around.

[jno]

he could try withdrawing his statement, which might or might not undermine the prosecution case (depends on how much other evidence they have). And yes, that could get him into trouble.

[24fan]

What could happen? Please.

[jno]

wasting police time is a possibility.

[jackthehat]

The only charge which a retraction by your Dad would affect is whether she had stolen his car, or not....and even if he says that she had his permission to take the vehicle, everything else is a criminal offence.

Are you in UK?

[Buenchico]

If your father now indicates that his former girlfriend had his permission to drive his car he will effectively be pleading guilty to permitting an uninsured driver to use the vehicle. That covers the same penalty (6 to 8 points on his licence, plus a fine of up to £5000) as driving without insurance himself.

Further, if the police (and CPS) take the view that he is simply trying to cover up for the offender, he risks being charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice. Conviction for that offence nearly always results in a lengthy prison sentence.

Chris

[FredPuli43]

Ill-advised. Your father is in more trouble than he was if he now says the statement he made to police was not true. All but the unlawful taking present no problem to them to the prosecution, whatever he says, since they all appear to be matters of police evidence. As said, it's the prosecution who decide whether to proceed with a prosecution. They may proceeed with the taking a conveyance ("theft") charge anyway, even to the extent, if your father has made a formal, signed, statement of evidence, of compelling him to attend the trial and calling him as a witness. In such circumstances he'd be brave if he then told the court that what he'd said in his witness statement was lies !
At best, in retracting what he said , he's been wasting police time and, as said, if he now says he knew of the driving and consented, he risks being prosecuted for assisting in that offence of disqualified driving and permitting driving with no insurance. That's far more trouble than saying the taking was without his consent !
His best answer is to speak or write on the defendant's behalf, providing her with mitigation. He should speak to her solicitor about that.

[Peter Pedant]

There are certain things he cant consent to

driving without 3rd party insurance and possession of a weapon in public
spring to mind

there are others that if hesays he knew about
he just gets himself into trouble
driving wwithout consent


some/slot of crimincal charges dont really depend on whether the victum or other person consented - rape yes assisting suicide no


if he intervenes he may just st+ff himself
but you know your dad - it may be an experiment he has to try