Irate Speeder Berated Speed Camera Officer, Called Him a ‘Rolf Harris’

Redruth: A driver named Michael Cooke was caught speeding on July 18, 2023. He was driving 37 mph in a 30 mph zone. Cooke already had nine points on his license. He knew that getting three more points could lead to losing his license.

Instead of just accepting the ticket, Cooke stopped to confront the officer. He called the speed camera a “money-making scheme” and complained loudly. At one point, he insulted the officer by calling him a “Rolf Harris.” He even gestured to other drivers to warn them about the speed camera.

The officer reported the incident and moved the camera van to avoid further issues. Later, Cooke received his speeding paperwork but filled it out with someone else’s name, even though he left his real phone number.

In court, Cooke pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. His lawyer argued that he was a good person who could have been charged with speeding but wasn’t. The judge pointed out that Cooke’s actions could undermine speeding enforcement.

Cooke received a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. The judge noted that if Cooke had been prosecuted for speeding, it could have caused him significant hardship.