From The Times: October 25, 1923
The Hon Herbert Edward Eaton, of Tedworth Square, Chelsea, was summoned at Mortlake yesterday for driving a motor-car in Castelnau, Barnes, on the evening of July 17 in a negligent manner, for failing to stop, and for driving without a licence.
A constable said that he saw the defendant pass two motor-omnibuses and force the driver of a private car to pull up, as the defendant was within five feet of the off-side car. He (the constable) stepped into the road, signalled to the defendant to stop, and had to step back to avoid being knocked down. The defendant simply looked round and drove on. He could not say that the defendant saw him, although the light was good.
Inspector Bicknell said that the defendant called at Barnes police station and said that he did not remember having seen any constable trying to stop him in Castelnau. His licence was out of date, and another was issued two days after the offence. The defendant, who was not represented, told the Court that he did not see the constable. He heard someone shout, but thought it was a private person, and not seeing anything amiss he drove on. Inspector Bicknell stated that the defendant had been convicted twenty times since 1915; fines totalling nearly £200 had been imposed, and there had been two suspensions of licences for six months.
A fine of £50 at Feltham was for dangerous driving, and other fines were for exceeding the speed limit, having no licence, failing to produce his licence for endorsement, using petrol without a permit in wartime, and failing to stop. The Chairman (Sir James Szlumper) fined the defendant £20 for negligent driving, £10 for failing to stop, and £2 for driving without a licence.
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He said that no man, no matter what position he held in life, could be allowed to drive in the reckless way in which the defendant had driven. The defendant’s licence would be suspended for twelve months and would be endorsed. The Clerk of the Court said that the licence-book was already full, and a new leaf would have to be inserted in order to take the new endorsement. The defendant urged that his driving licence should not be suspended for that period, but the Bench refused to reconsider their decision.
The Hon H E Eaton is the second son of Lord Cheylesmore.
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