I was fined nearly £400 for my ‘rude’ number plate… cops forced me to take it off but I just wanted to make people laugh
A MUM was fined nearly £400 for her amusing number plate after police pulled her over for its "offensive" message.
Toni Brand from Tredegar in Blaenau Gwent, Wales, was slapped with the hefty fine for her cheeky registration when the cops failed to find it funny.
The 47-year-old had personalised her plates with the words "SLUT HO" to make people laugh after seeing a wedding car with the word "TART" on both bumpers.
Months ago she had splashed out £487 on the SL11 THO plates, on top of a £80 fee to register them and another £20 for extra screws in the middle of both "11"s to look like "U"s.
Since then Toni had been bombarded by compliments from fellow drivers and other families on the school run chuckling at the message.
So she was utterly bewildered to be pulled over in her white Volkswagen Scirocco by a police officer in March - wiping the smile from her face.
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The officer demanded she remove the screws from the plates immediately and proceeded to write her a fine for the "offensive" language.
Not only was Toni ordered to cough up £220, she also had to pay £34 victim services surcharge and £90 in prosecution costs.
She will have to appear in Cardiff Magistrates' Court for the fine some time in November after missing the first hearing due to a letter mix-up.
Toni is shocked that her joke has been taken this far.
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She spoke about being stopped by police: "It is quite a scary thing.
"He asked if I knew why he pulled me over and I was like, 'I have no idea.' The plate was normal to me at that point.
"I'm at the side of the road panicking because I've never been in trouble before. I pay my bills and do as I'm told.
"He gave me a screwdriver and made me undo the screws at the front and back, which was hard to do. It was grown men who put the screws in, not me.
"I was struggling and crying. I said to the officer, 'Can you help me?' And he was like 'no'.
"I'm on my bum, my feet are under the car, I'm staring at his big black boots next to me. I'm crying my eyes out. He waited there for 40 minutes for me to finish."
Yet Toni is still adamant her plates are not offensive, believing "95% of the population" would all laugh at the joke.
Even the garage workers who fixed the extra screws between the "11"s had a "giggle" at the time and other motorists' responses have been "amazing".
"I've had it since around last Christmas," Toni said. "Everyone has been smiling and beeping at me. My kids wave out the window.
"I'll be driving along and people will go, 'I love your number plate.' One woman said her daughter can't wait to see it on the school run each day."
Since her removal of the screws the mum still gets a great reaction from her number plates, saying that the police were the "only ones offended by it".
However, Toni also spoke about the tragic reason behind her light-hearted humour and desire to make people smile - her son Ricky took his own life in 2019.
She said she realised how life is short during her grief: "Through his death I have learned to live and I have learned to smile and giggle."
The mum added: "He was just an average 21-year-old, working as a builder and doing well. He liked being out and being with people.
"A lot of builders feel they have to act hard and be masculine. That's where it's all wrong. Men are allowed to cry."
Toni, who has twin sons aged 13 and a 16-year-old daughter, said she still feels "raw" from losing Ricky.
She told: "It's taught my family so much — to be strong, to live life, to smile and say hello to people, to spread cheer. And that's why I bought the plate.
"It brought me joy every time I walked out the the front door. Life is short and I'm not going to die unhappy."
As well as bringing joy to people's faces, Toni has been determined to help people since Ricky's death.
She did a series of charity walks to raise money for men's mental health causes.
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Toni said: "Men don't talk.
"I want to spread the message that it's OK to feel like c**p but people are here for you. When you're down, come to us and we'll be there for you."
You're Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society - from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others... You're Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM, , 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,
- Mind, , 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus,, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans, , 116 123
- Movember,
- Anxiety UK , 03444 775 774 Monday-Friday 9.30am-10pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-8pm
Contact the Samaritans
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, contact The Samaritans on 116 123.
They are available for free at anytime.
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