24 October, 2014. 14:00
ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | [email protected]
#BREAKING #TOPGEAR #TRAVELNT #NTPOLICE
TWITTER HAS BEEN set alight by rumours that Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has been arrested north of Alice Springs for dangerous driving.
Northern Territory police released a statement saying that a high profile arrest took place this morning with news to follow.
The Top Gear team was spotted leaving Darwin on Wednesday morning to film a segment on the unrestricted speed limit imposed on a stretch of Territory Highway.
Under Northern Territory Law, while the speed limit has been removed, a “person must not operate a motor vehicle in a dangerous and unsafe manner”.
Both the BBC and NT Police have refused to provide comment at this stage but British Embassy officials have been observed leaving Canberra airport this morning bound for Alice Springs
Should the arrest prove to be true, it could have huge legal ramifications in the future, says Darwin lawyer Bruce Nagel.
“If Clarkson is indeed convicted with dangerous driving on an unrestricted portion of the Stuart Highway, the legal precedents that would follow could effectively impose a speed limit in itself,” says Mr Nagel.
“The point at which driving at speed becomes dangerous is a legal grey area and is subject to the judgement of the arresting officer.”
More to come as the story develops.
