Help with the law!

Hi guys, hoping someone might know the answer to this.

Before Xmas I was involved in a very, very minor RTA. In fact, so minor, I didn't even realise I'd hit a car. I pulled around a stationary car (changing lanes at a queue to the entrance to roundabout) at about 5mph. I felt a tiny bump and was 100% confident I'd clipped the kerb on the central reservation. Rather than get out of the car and hold up a queue of traffic, I tought nothing more of it and continued home swearing and cursing at yet another kerb mark on my alloys.

When I got home, checked the wheels on the drivers side and found no damage. So checked the passenger side and discovered that some of the grey paint had come off the grey side rubbing strip on the bottom of the door - and hence worked out that I must have just clipped the back of the car I pulled round.

Being a good boy, I rang the local Surrey police station to ask what to do . They said best report the accident in person, just in case. So I went down with all my docs and completed some sort of a report with the desk officer. :busted_cop: A couple of days later I get a letter back from them saying that the accident actually happened in Berkshire, (the county border is right next to the roundabout) and that all the docs had been transferred to Thames Valley Police who would be dealing.

The next week a 'Notice of Intended Prosecution' (or should that be persecution!) arrived from Thames Valley, listing three charges -

• failing to stop after an accident
• failure to report an accident
• driving without due care and attention

I thought item 3 was a bit harsh, but accepting I'd obviously hit something, politely replied that I had already filled in all the forms with Surrey Police and that they had been forwarded to Thames Valley. I'd guessed that the letters must have crossed in the post.

So still waiting to see what they will prosecute me for - I can't see 1 or 2 sticking - how are you supposed to stop after an accident if you didn't even know you had one?

Anyway, I was back at the place of the accident yesterday evening, and the sign at the side of the road clearly shows that the accident happened in Surrey, and not in Berkshire. OK, it was only in Surrey by 10 metres or so, but it was clearly Surrey and not Berkshire. So my original report to Surrey Police was correct and Thames Valley shouldn't have been involved.

So do Thames Valley have the 'jurisdiction' to prosecute me when the accident, as I correctly reported, happened in Surrey?

I appreciate it won't make any difference on the outcome - I guess I just plead guilty and apologise for wasting everyone's time and take the points and fine. Fortunately I currently have a clean licence so a few points won't be so bad.

Just thought I'd update you on this one from a while ago. I received a letter from TVP this morning:

'After careful consideration of the available evidence and the surrounding circumstances, it has been decided that no further action will be taken against you at this stage. However, if circumstances change or further evidence is brought to the notice of the police, investigation into the incident may be reopened.'

Looks like common sense has prevailed. Phew.

Yeah, I appreciate that.

My problem was that I didn't even know that I'd clipped the other car - I thought it was the kerb. The other car had someone in it at the time and from the fact that they didn't jump out the car - I don't think they realised I had clipped them either.

I do feel guilty that there is someone out there with some grey scuffs on their bumper from my side rubbing strips. I have no idea who they are or how to contact them - the police won't give that information away. The only way I can find out is if they claim against my insurance - which from the lack of contact in the past 3 months, I assume they haven't.

Oh well, all resolved.