A MOTORIST has lost her faith in the legal system after a driver who crashed into her escaped prosecution because of a "clerical error".

Louise Lovely was waiting to turn right on Anerley Hill at the junction with Anerley Park, Anerley, when another car smashed into the side of her Renault Megane.

She managed to get the driver's registration number and reported it to the police who told her the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) would prosecute the other driver for not having any insurance or MOT.

The 44-year-old legal secretary was horrified to receive a letter from the Met Police in June, five months after the incident took place.

It said the CPS had decided not to take the man to court because of "insufficient evidence" and said "it was not in the public interest".

Ms Lovely complained and received a letter telling her the CPS had withdrawn the case because the police had not served the relevant documents to the defendant before the hearing.

Mother-of-two Ms Lovely said: "People like me who pay our tax and insurance get lumbered with parking tickets whereas he can smash into people.

"The law is meant to protect us but they are a bunch of idiots."

The resident of Bourdon Road, Anerley, added: "I would not be surprised if it has been happening to other people."

A Met Police spokesman said: "We recognise due to a clerical error a notice was not served upon the defendant.

"A system has been set up whereby all work and case files are checked by senior staff at the criminal justice unit to ensure errors like this do not occur.

"While the mistake lies with the police, the decision to discontinue the case does not. It is the court's decision.

"We would like to apologise to Louise Lovely."

The CPS was unavailable for comment.

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