Wednesday 13th January 1904

The Times newspaper reported:
The Motor-Car Act. Mr. Marsham, sitting at Bow-Street, had before him the first case under the Motor-Car Act, 1903. Henry Smith, described as a motor-car driver, of Coliseum-Terrace, Regent’s-Park, was charged with being drunk while in charge of a motor-car, and with failing to produce his driver’s licence when requested to do so by a police-officer. The second offence was framed under the Motor-car Act, 1903, sec. 3, subsec. 4. A police constable said that at 8 o’clock yesterday morning he saw the prisoner, who was drunk, driving two gentlemen, also under the influence of drink, in a motor-car in Bedford-street. He was going at a slow pace, but was wandering from one side of the road to the other. When asked for his licence he said he had left it at home. The prisoner said he was not aware that he had to produce his licence whenever it was demanded by a police-officer. As to the charge of drunkenness, he said he was more tired than drunk; he had been driving all night. Mr. Marsham dealt with the prisoner under the first subsection of the Act for driving a motor-car in a negligent or reckless manner. The offence was a serious one and was punishable with a £20 penalty, but, this being the first time the prisoner had been charged he would only fine him £10. For the second offence the maximum fine was £5, but as the Act had only just come into operation he would impose the mitigated penalty of 5s. He would, however, deal more severely with similar cases in the future.