A serving policeman has been fined for driving crimes just hours before his shift began.

John Shaddick, 54, is an inspector in the Avon and Somerset Police tactical support team part of which works to “deny criminals the use of the roads”.

Shaddick was fined for speeding at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on November 28 hours before he started the late shift.

Shaddick was caught by a speed camera on November 14, 2021, doing 39 on the 30mph A38 Bristol Road in Somerset.

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Just over a month later he was subsequently charged with failing to provide information about the driver to Avon and Somerset Police, who Shaddick works for.

He was convicted of both these offences in his absence in June 2022.

Shaddick told the judge he never knew about the charges because he had “fled the family home due to domestic violence, and the letters were never forwarded on”.

The first he heard of the offences was a letter at his new address from a debt collection agency. 

He said: “I've had no end to problems trying to get this solved. I'm actually a serving police officer of Avon and Somerset. I'm an inspector for our tactical support team, which covers road policing, so it's something I was desperate to get sorted.”

Part of the tactical support team is road policing officers who aim to make the roads safer by “combatting anti-social road use” and “denying criminals the use of the roads”, according to a job advert.Shadick, right, won an award in 2017 for stopping a man from committing suicide (Image: Highlights Photography)

Shaddick said in 2023: “We are committed to taking dangerous drivers off the roads around the clock, every day of the year.”

Shaddick appeared in court to make a statutory declaration so that he could admit to the offences and be resentenced with knowledge of the convictions.

Shaddick pleaded guilty to the speeding and the charge of failing to provide information was subsequently withdrawn.

He said: “I’m not going to make excuses. I was in a bad place due to getting some bad news about a relationship but there’s no excuse.”

Shaddick was fined £269, with £85 costs and a £34 surcharge, with three licence penalty points.

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