We act for drivers across Reading and Berkshire in all types of motoring cases – drink and drug driving, speeding, dangerous or careless driving, and totting-up disqualifications. With an office in Reading and a team that regularly represents clients at Reading Magistrates’ Court, we have a detailed understanding of how Thames Valley Police investigate motoring offences and how these cases are approached locally by the court.
We will always give you clear advice on your realistic options – possible defences, sentencing risk, and what can be done to protect your licence. You will have direct contact with a senior solicitor.
For many motoring offences we offer fixed fees, so you know exactly where you stand on cost.
Reeds is ranked Band 1 for criminal defence in the Thames Valley by Chambers & Partners and Top Tier by the Legal 500 – the highest rankings awarded by the two most respected independent guides to the UK legal profession. Those rankings are based on client feedback and the views of other lawyers.
Driving offences we cover in Berkshire
- Drink Driving and Drunk in Charge
- Drug Driving
- Failure to Provide a Specimen
- Dangerous Driving or Careless Driving
- Causing Serious Injury or Death by Careless or Dangerous Driving
- Exceptional Hardship and Totting-Up Applications
- Speeding
- Failure to Provide Driver Details (Section 172)
- Driving Whilst Disqualified
- Failing to Stop or Report an Accident
For immediate motoring offence advice and representation, contact our Reading team on 0118 902 7130, or email us at [email protected] or use our online contact form.
Reading Magistrates’ Court address
Reading Magistrates’ Court
Civic Centre
Castle Street
Reading
RG1 7TQ
Most motoring cases arising in Berkshire are dealt with at Reading Magistrates’ Court, including matters from Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell, Newbury, Slough, Maidenhead and surrounding areas.
We regularly represent motorists from across Berkshire and the wider Thames Valley region, including Woodley, Caversham, Tilehurst, Earley, Ascot, Windsor, Thatcham and other surrounding towns and villages.
Our Reading Office
Our Reading office is based at 9 Greyfriars Rd, Reading RG1 1NU. We can offer appointments either in person or virtually, depending on your preference.
Motoring Offences We Defend in Reading
Thames Valley Police regularly carry out drink driving enforcement across Reading and Berkshire, particularly during weekends, Christmas and New Year periods, and other targeted campaigns.
Drink driving carries a mandatory minimum 12-month disqualification for a first offence, rising to three years for a second offence within ten years.
There are two potential routes to avoiding a ban. The first is successfully defending the allegation itself. The second is advancing a special reasons argument, such as a spiked drink, an emergency situation, or other unusual circumstances.
It is also important to understand where the case falls within the sentencing guidelines. Does the officer describe slurred speech, glazed eyes or erratic driving? Are there aggravating features alleged by the prosecution? These factors can make a significant difference to the outcome.
See our Drink Driving Reading Solicitors page for more information.
Drug driving prosecutions are increasingly common across Reading and Berkshire, with Thames Valley Police regularly carrying out roadside drug testing following collisions and traffic stops. The legal limits for many substances are extremely low. Someone can test over the prescribed limit long after any effects have worn off, and prescribed medication can sometimes result in prosecution. A positive roadside drug swipe does not automatically mean a conviction.
Obtaining the papers early allows us to review the evidence and identify any aggravating features being alleged. We can also assess whether a viable defence exists, such as procedural issues, problems with the testing process, or special reasons which could avoid a ban altogether.
If a conviction cannot be avoided, we focus on mitigation and careful presentation of the facts to achieve the best possible outcome. In some cases, relatively small details can make a significant difference to sentence.
Failing to provide a specimen when lawfully required by the police carries the same mandatory minimum 12-month disqualification as drink driving. Many drivers are surprised to discover this only after they have been charged.
The allegation is not limited to an outright refusal. It can arise from an inadequate breath sample, conduct interpreted as non-compliance, or a genuine medical inability to provide a specimen.
The key issue is often whether there was a reasonable excuse. Medical conditions, anxiety-related difficulties, and procedural issues can all be relevant, but these cases are highly fact-specific and depend on exactly what happened at the police station.
We obtain the prosecution papers promptly, assess whether a defence is available, and advise on the realistic prospects of avoiding a conviction or disqualification. If that is not possible, we focus on presenting the strongest mitigation to minimise the period of any ban.
Roads across Reading and Berkshire – from the M4 and A33 to busy town-centre routes and residential areas – generate serious driving allegations every week. We defend clients facing allegations of dangerous driving, careless driving, and causing serious injury or death by dangerous or careless driving.
The distinction between careless and dangerous driving is often far narrower than people realise. Cases frequently turn on the quality of the evidence, including witness accounts, dashcam footage, CCTV, vehicle damage and road conditions.
Early legal advice can be critical. We can advise before any police interview takes place and, in appropriate cases, make representations that a lesser charge is more appropriate or that no charge should be brought at all.
Speeding allegations in and around Reading commonly arise on the M4 corridor, the A33, the A329(M), and other major routes across Berkshire. Enforcement ranges from fixed and average speed cameras to mobile camera units operated by Thames Valley Police.
The consequences depend on the speed alleged and the number of penalty points already on your licence. In some cases, a further three points can be enough to trigger a totting-up disqualification, while higher-speed offences can result in an immediate ban.
Where 12 points is in sight, our focus shifts to exceptional hardship and whether there is a realistic basis for avoiding a totting-up disqualification.
Under the totting-up rules, reaching 12 penalty points within three years triggers a minimum six-month disqualification. An exceptional hardship application asks the court to consider whether that ban would cause hardship going beyond the ordinary consequences of losing your licence.
What courts will not accept
Needing your car for work is rarely enough on its own. Difficulty commuting across Reading or Berkshire, or finding public transport inconvenient, will not usually amount to exceptional hardship. The court is looking for consequences that go beyond those normally associated with a driving ban.
What courts will consider
Third-party impact is often what persuades magistrates. Staff who may lose their jobs, family members who depend on you for care, or a business that would suffer significant harm. These cases are won and lost on the quality of the evidence presented to the court.
A critical distinction: exceptional hardship and special reasons are not the same thing. Special reasons relate to the circumstances of the offence itself. Exceptional hardship applies only to totting-up disqualifications.
Meeting our Motoring Team
Clare Galo
Senior Associate Solicitor & Team Leader
Nathan Seymour-Hyde
Partner & Solicitor
Tom Brymer
Partner and Solicitor
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