Ex-Honda UK boss’s warning over North Wales Police tactics

A former Honda UK boss has warned of the lengths to which North Wales Police will go to secure a conviction against any motorcyclist.

Bob McMillan, who is also a former police advanced motorcycle instructor, says evidence was “blatantly altered” in a bid to pin another rider’s offence on him. 

The 61-year-old fought for 13 months to prove he was innocent of a charge of riding at 83mph in a 60mph zone.

The Crown Prosecution Service finally dropped the case citing a catalogue of police errors including false statements over the time and place of the alleged offence.

McMillan says police film used as evidence that he and two friends were speeding “in convoy” actually showed a lone rider who had been heading in the opposite direction.

He believes it was a deliberate ploy by North Wales police officers because three convictions would better justify the expense of using the force helicopter.

He spoke as MCN called on law-abiding motorcyclists to descend on the region this Sunday. Our Reclaim North Wales campaign is taking a stance against a police tactic of stopping 350 law-abiding riders every weekend. 

McMillan warned: “It is very important that I should point out to MCN readers that facts will be manipulated and that riders should take care, stick to the speed limits and ride a good distance apart to avoid being described as a convoy with subsequent fabricated speeds and distances.

“The helicopter may well be used on September 13 and my example shows that they can park over a mile away, in a hidden location.”

At the time McMillan’s case was thrown out last year North Wales Police said it was “based purely on administrative matters” and “nothing to do with the tactics used”.

Find details of our campaign here: www.motorcyclenews.com/reclaimwales