As for who benefits... if I get caught speeding and the choice is a) sign paper, £60 and 3 points, or b) don't sign, go to court, day off work, £60+, 3+ points, court costs... I know what I'd do.
I don't want to leave anyone with the impression that I'm some sort of political anarchist, I just like to stand up for myself.
I'll give you a real life example from personal experience.In 1984 I was shopping at Asda and came out to find the back lights of my car smashed and the car dented. A couple had seen the person responsible, gave me their details as witnesses and the offenders reg no. My wife then convinced me to report it to the Police. I went to the local station, told them the tale and gave them the witness details. I was told that as it happened on Asda car park which is private land they could do nothing. (I now know this to be incorrect) What they did do however, was to go outside and inspect my car, then give me a 'producer' to produce my documents, even though I was not at fault.Sods law came into play and on getting out my documents I found my MOT had expired three days earlier! I was therefore booked for having no MOT.
When the summons came the charges were having no MOT, and having no insurance. Even though I had insurance and had shown them the certificate. I contacted the Police who told me that the charges still stood, I contacted the CPS who also told me the charges stood, so I elected to go to court. I pleaded guilty by letter to no MOT.
The court case happened to fall on Wednesday, my day off from work. Representing myself I went along with my documents and the prosecution put forward their case. I pleaded guilty to no MOT as I had done by letter, with mitigation that it was an oversight that was corrected immediately upon coming to my knowledge. To the charge of no insurance I simply produced my certificate. The magistrate found no case to answer for insurance, and fined me £15.00 for having no MOT.
He asked me how I wished to pay and I said I would pay immediately and in full. But before I do we must discuss the matter of my loss of earnings in attending court to provide evidence of my having insurance. The MOT I had pleaded guilty by letter, so the sole purpose of the court case was to determine if I had insurance or not - which I had. And not only had I insurance, but had produced it to the Police. Having to subsequently attend court had cost me a day off work I told them, and that constituted at that time a £35.00 loss.
I was awarded the £35 costs, which means that they paid the fine and I made a £20.00 profit for attending court on my day off.
That is the point I'm trying to get across, it's up to the individual to know the law and use it for their own protection, it doesn't exist so that incompetent fools can fleece you.