Van driver caught by police using mobile phone on Sheffield's Ecclesall Road is slapped with hefty fine

The motorist was so busy checking his phone, according to police, that he hadn't even noticed the officer cycling past him in full police uniform on Ecclesall Road on Thursday, December 9.

He was slapped with a £200 fine and given six points on his licence, and police have warned other drivers they are cracking down on dangerous mobile phone use.

Sheffield North West neighbourhood policing team said: “You said ‘why don't the police go out on bikes and catch all the people we see using their mobile phones?’. We said ‘alright then’. Neighbourhood policing in action.

“This is the moment of eye contact - when I pulled up alongside in the full police uniform I'd been wearing when he went past in the opposite direction. Shows how little attention to driving people pay when on a call.. note the illuminated screen.

“And finally ‘the pointy finger of justice’ - slightly ruined by the crab mitts. Driver pulled over and issued a TOR (Traffic Offence Report) - that will be six points and £200.

“This is one of the reasons why I'm working on getting all neighbourhood officers who want to trained up to ride bikes. We will be out there, in plain clothes and in uniform. Mobile phone using drivers of South Yorkshire, you have been warned.”

It’s illegal to hold a phone or sat nav while driving.

You must have hands-free access such as a Bluetooth headset, voice command, a dashboard holder or mat, a windscreen mount or a built-in sat nav, and the device must not block your view of the road and traffic ahead.

As well as six penalty points and a £200 fine, anyone caught using a hand-held phone while driving will lose their licence if they passed their driving test in the last two years.

Offenders can also be taken to court where they can be banned from driving and fined up to £1,000, or £2,500 if driving a lorry or bus.