General after being cleared in a high-profile traffic case.

Insp. Kenrick James, who heads the Police prosecutions department, was acquitted earlier this month of ignoring an officer's traffic signals.

But Crown lawyers have now lodged an appeal against the Magistrate's decision.

Crown Counsel Leighton Rochester told The Royal Gazette the Attorney General's Chambers had "a number of grounds for appeal'' against Magistrate Arthur Hodgson's decision to acquit Insp. James of driving without due care and attention.

He said: "The Crown has appealed against the Magistrate's ruling on the basis of the evidence in the case.

"The Supreme Court Registrar will now have to set a date for the appeal and that could be much later this year.'' Insp. James, of Alexander Road, Devonshire, was accused of ignoring a signal to stop on Middle Road on September 23, 1996.

P.c. Beverly Basden told Insp. James' trial that he drove through her stop signal and crashed into a car which was pulling out of Montpelier Road.

Insp. James blamed the accident on the constable and said Police only brought charges against him out of "malice''.

He claimed the initial computer report on the accident recommended that he should not be prosecuted.

And Insp. James said he was only charged because some officers were angry he had been promoted.

But the Attorney General's chambers have lodged the appeal on the grounds that Mr. Hodgson "erred in law'' regarding the evidence and "considered matters which were not relevant to the offences as charged''.

Crown lawyers will also argue that Mr. Hodgson "did not apply the correct test in considering the standard of driving''.

Mr. Hodgson told Insp. James' trial that the officer directing traffic only used her hands to make stop signals and should have used eye contact and other body movements.

Insp. Kenrick James