Police Apologise

Student nurse Helen Parry was pulled over by police in Deganwy, Conwy - about 2.5 miles (4km) from her home - for a simple roadside check.

She was stunned to learn that the police believed that she was driving her father's vehicle without insurance and swiftly became hysterical when they fined her £200, put six points on her license and towed her car away.

Local newspaper, the Daily Post, took up Helen's cause after she made an official complaint about the conduct of the officers. She claims they refused to take her home, even when she stressed that she was pregnant.

"I was getting so cross. They just weren't listening to me," she told the paper, adding that she had to pay £105 to get her car back.

In a statement North Wales Police said an investigation revealed that the data supplied to police forces via the Motor Insurance Bureau by Mrs Parry's insurer, Direct Line, was incorrect.

"This system is owned by the insurance industry. It is not a police system and the police are not responsible for the data," the statement continued.

"The understandable distress caused to Mrs Parry by Direct Line's apparent failure is very much regretted by north Wales Police, especially in view of her pregnancy."