BRITISH KEYSTONE COPS

If being caught speeding meant a two-day spell in police cells with only a bowl of cornflakes for company, perhaps more motorists would stick to the limit. But for one woman, a long-forgotten 14-month-old speeding offence led to a police response more akin to that reserved for terrorist suspects. Michelle Keating, 43, a mother of four, was held in solitary confinement, deprived of contact with her family and taken on a 400-mile (644km) trip to appear before a weekend sitting of a court where she was handcuffed to a male security officer. She is now considering suing for wrongful arrest after prosecutors dropped the charges against her because they were "not in the public interest".

"All I did was commit a speeding offence which I admitted immediately at the time. It is not as it I am a terrorist. It is disgusting that this can happen to someone like myself," Mrs Keating said. Her "hellish ordeal" began last Thursday after Mrs Keating, who runs an aviation business with her husband,Christopher, was stopped during a routine police check. Unbeknown to Mrs Keating, who lives near Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, an outstanding warrant for her arrest had been issued after she had been caught speeding at 100mph on the M180 motorway in North Lincolnshire last September. When a notice of her offence arrived in the post, she wrote back confirming that she was at wheel and over the speed limit. However, she thought that Humberside Police had dropped the charge when a court summons failed to arrive and thought no more about it.

That was until last Thursday. After her arrest she was taken to Aberdeen's Queen Street police station where she was held overnight in solitary. Mrs Keating was transferred on Friday evening to Scunthorpe after officers made a 900-mile round trip. "I was petrified the car would crash. They had to drive all the way to Aberdeen and back with only a 15-minute break. I was worried the driver would fall asleep. I was only given a bowl of cornflakes on Friday morning in my cell. I had a couple of mouthfuls and it actually made me sick."

Much to the relief of the Keatings, Andrew Horner, for the prosecution, confirmed that she had been found guilty of speeding in her absence and then withdrew the case. The summons and letters presented in court had all been returned and marked "unknown at this address" despite the fact that the Keatings had moved house after the offence, had all their mail forwarded and had reregistered the car. Stuart Cranidge, Mrs Keating's solicitor, said: "It is one the most outrageous cases I have dealt with."

A Humberside police spokesman said: "It shouldn't have got to this situation. We've not received a complaint from her but if we do then we will investigate the circumstances."

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