THOUSANDS of motorists hoping to appeal against their driving convictions, after a recent case collapsed due to problems with evidence, are 'on a wild goose chase', according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) this week.

The warning came after the bench at Watford Magistrates Court was forced to dismiss a case on Tuesday against a 61-year-old driver from London, charged with failing to stop at a red light.

Defence solicitor Mr Nicholas Freeman said Hertfordshire Constabulary had sent the defendent, Martin Breslaw, its standard Notice of Intended Prosecution form - a process carried out for several years for all drivers who have committed an alleged offence.

Mr Freeman said all those convicted of motoring offences in the county during that time would have the right to appeal, after the case against his client was dismissed by Watford Magistrates when he pointed out the form used was legally inaccurate.

Instead of being sent on behalf of the Chief Inspector of Police, the document, which asks who was driving the car, is wrongly sent out on behalf of the officer dealing with the case.

Mr Charles Ingham, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS, was adamant this was not carte blanche for every convicted motorist to lodge an appeal.

He said: 'The case was not continued due to other evidential difficulties. These had nothing to do with the form issued, and drivers will be on a wild goose chase if they try to use it as grounds to appeal'.

A spokeswoman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said they could not comment until their lawyers looked at the details of the particular case.

Mr Freeman said: 'This means thousands of motorists will have been wrongly convicted of a whole host of road traffic matters, from speeding to dangerous driving, to failing to comply with an automatic traffic signal.

'All of these motorists would obviously have a right to appeal.'

As a result, Breslaw's not guilty plea was accepted and he was awarded costs from central funding by magistrates.