Harriet Harman faces charges over car crash » Central Government » 24dash.com

Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman was today facing prosecution for her involvement in a car prang in which she was allegedly using her mobile phone, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

A court summons will be served on the MP for Camberwell and Peckham after a police probe into the crash in Dulwich, south-east London on the afternoon of July 3.

Ms Harman is facing charges of driving without due care and attention and driving while using a hand-held mobile telephone, the CPS said.

A spokeswoman for Ms Harman said: "Ms Harman strongly refutes the allegations and will deny the charges."

Driving without due care and attention carries a maximum fine of £5,000 and an endorsement of up to nine points on your licence.

A CPS statement said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has decided there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to prosecute the Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP for the offences of driving without due care and attention and driving whilst using a hand-held mobile telephone in relation to an incident on 3 July 2009 in Peckham, London.

"The Metropolitan Police Service provided papers to the CPS on 9 November 2009 which were reviewed by the Special Crime Division in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

"An MPS employee will now attend a magistrates' court in order to obtain a summons to be served on Ms Harman."

Ms Harman has several previous driving convictions.

She was banned from driving for seven days and fined £400 after admitting speeding at 99mph on the M4 near Swindon, Wiltshire, in January 2003.

Ms Harman was said to be taking her son back to Bristol University after the Christmas break.

The penalty, which was criticised by motorists' organisations as too lenient, was issued just as it was announced that court fines should be more closely linked to offenders' incomes.

She was also fined £60 and given three penalty points for exceeding a temporary speed limit in Suffolk in April 2007.

The maximum penalties for driving while using a mobile phone are a £1,000 fine and a licence endorsement of three points.

The law banning driving with a mobile phone was introduced in 2003 when Ms Harman was the Solicitor General.

After studying politics at York University, Ms Harman qualified as a lawyer and went on to be Legal Officer at the National Council for Civil Liberties.