Banned drivers using ancient loophole to get back on the road
Banned drivers are reportedly using the ancient, archaic royal pardon loophole to get back on the road in secrecy, with the victims and public being left in the dark.
According to a report published in The Daily Telegraph, dozens of disqualified drivers are using the “Royal Prerogative of Mercy”, which dates back hundreds of years and was traditionally used to pardon murderers form being hanged.
Under the controversial loophole, drivers who have lost their licence throw themselves at the mercy of the state governor in a desperate bid to win their licences back.
The people who make the clemency decisions are lawyers in the office of NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman and in the Department of Justice and the Crown Solicitor’s Office, with no details of those involved released.
Since January 2016, 85 applications for the Royal Prerogative of Mercy were made. 71 were made by banned drivers and of those, 18 applications were granted.
There are calls to end the secrecy with Barrister Chris Nowlan telling the paper NSW should follow the lead of the US, where details of any presidential pardon are made public.
Mr Nowlan said, “I think the public has a right to know.”
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