WREXHAM Britain’s most senior traffic policeman has been criticised for wasting court time after he failed to answer a speeding charge yesterday, claiming that he had still not found a solicitor to represent him.

Meredydd Hughes, 49, the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire and head of roads policing for the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), was due to appear at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court charged with driving at 90mph (145km/h)in a 60mph zone.

He was granted an adjournment as he still needed time to instruct a solicitor. Matthew Elliot, chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “Meredydd Hughes has shown breathtaking hypocrisy in this case.

“Not only has he been caught preaching one thing and doing another in the past, but he has also wasted court time and therefore taxpayers’ money.”

Mr Hughes, who was allegedly caught on camera on the A5, has admitted committing two speeding offences in the past and having six penalty points when taking over the Acpo role.

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