A MOBILE hairdresser said she feels “empowered” after she used skills learnt from watching Miss Marple on TV to single-handedly win a court case.

Karen Bennett vowed to fight Essex Police over their claim she was driving without a seatbelt in Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, last summer.

Mrs Bennett, who at the time used her maiden name, Mazza, was among 66 motorists pulled over as part of the police’s Surround a Town road safety operation.

But she insisted police got it wrong, refusing to go on a driving awareness course or pay a £37 fine.

Months later the long arm of the law summoned Mrs Bennett, 56, to Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court for a trial.

The mum-of-two, who represented herself, was cleared by the magistrates who, she said, took just ten minutes to reach their decision.

Mrs Bennett said: “The only experience of a court I have got is TV programmes and Miss Marple.

“I thought we would be in an office and police would read their statement out and I would read mine.

“But it was in court and I had to cross-examine a policeman.”

Beforehand Mrs Bennett tried to get footage from Cowdray Avenue cameras to prove her innocence but was told this was unavailable.

“It came down to me to try to prove my innocence.

“I wrote exactly what happened that day and took my own photographs of how I sat in the car.”

During cross-examination Mrs Bennett said the officer insisted she had not worn a seatbelt.

“I said to her ‘Could you tell me exactly where you were parked’.

“When she told me her position I knew 100 per cent she couldn’t have seen me properly.

“The magistrates said the evidence was inconclusive and the evidence I prepared for the court was exceptional and they completely cleared me.

“I can’t tell you the relief.”

She added: “It has empowered me and I have never felt stronger.

“It was nerve wracking. I have never had to go under oath or anything but I did it with conviction and I knew I was right.”

During the incident Mrs Bennett, who now lives in North Weald, was pulled over just after the set of traffic lights by The Range store and taken to the car park behind Leisure World. where the police were based.

Mrs Bennett told officers her car sounds a continuous alarm if she does not wear the seatbelt.

Her hair was also worn up and she wore a pale pink top which she said would have made it easy to spot if she was telling the truth, Mrs Bennett, who is married to Graham, said: “I felt it was a case of hitting the stats. I never claimed any costs myself in court because I represented myself. I don’t know what the costs were to the Government but what a waste of money. I felt it was randomly done to get the numbers up to get the revenue.

“I know two others stopped that day paid up. There must have been several people caught who just paid up.”

Mrs Bennett faced one charge of driving a motor vehicle whilst not wearing a seat belt - which carries a maximum penalty of a £500 fine and could affect motor insurance claims.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Whilst we cannot comment on individual cases, it remains our responsibility to put all cases and associated evidence before the Crown Prosecution Service for a decision on whether charges will be brought.

“It is then for the courts to decide whether someone is guilty.

“Essex Police makes no apology for running operations around the county aimed at road safety.”

“Last year 63 people died and over 900 were seriously injured on our roads. Our officers are often among the first to those awful scenes and they have to knock on doors telling people their loved ones aren’t coming home.

“We will take every opportunity to enforce the law around wearing seatbelts, using mobile phones at the wheel and speeding. Where we believe there is reason to act we will also do so.”