Graduate Jailed for 3 Months After trying To Avoid Speeding Fine

Ayesha Ahmed  (Picture: PA)

A university graduate with a degree in international relations and politics has been jailed for three months after she tried to avoid paying a speeding fine.

 

27-year-old Ayesha Ahmed was caught speeding twice by a mobile police van in a 30mph zone near her home. Both times in her BMW on July 2014 5 minutes apart. One instance at 39mph and the other at 40mph.
But instead of undertaking a speed awareness course or paying the fines, Ahmed enlisted the help of a 'legal expert' who said a 'legal loophole' could help her dodge them completely at a cost of £450 – a fee likely greater than the sum of the speeding fines.

Unfortunately the legal expert sent details to police that claimed it was a woman from Walsall who had been driving and not Ahmed. Suspicions were raised when police discovered eight other speeding offences had been attributed to drivers at the same address.

The international relations and politics graduate was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice at Wolverhampton Crown Court and sentenced to three months in jail and a 58-week driving ban.

Police constable Steve Jevons said: "Ahmed has paid a heavy price for thinking she could lie her way out of speeding offences. She never met this "legal expert" and paid via a third-party. Ahmed was given every opportunity to admit her guilt – an admission that would have spared her a jail term."

He added: "It’s a sorry tale. She has no previous convictions but a potentially promising career is now in ruins and all because she wanted to retain a clean licence."

Jevons warned anyone caught speeding to avoid taking similar action. "Don’t be conned by anyone saying they know a person who, for a fee, can ‘make speeding fines go away.
"These people try passing blame on to ‘phantom’ drivers, knowing the authorities won’t be able to trace them and assuming the matter will be dropped." Probably best to pay up, folks. Or avoid speeding in the first place.

Source

New rules covering those that drive whilst disqualified

Brake has congratulated the Government on delivering tougher sentences for disqualified drivers as part of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act, which came into force on Monday, April 13.

Under the new rules anyone convicted of causing death by driving while disqualified will face a maximum of 10 years in prison, up from only two years previously.


There is also a new offence that has been created "causing serious injury by driving while disqualified" anyone convicted of this offence will face up to four years in prison.


Ed Morrow, campaigns officer for Brake, the road safety charity, said: “This is an important day for everybody involved in campaigning for better justice for victims of criminal driving. Getting behind the wheel when a court has already found you to be a danger on the road, and has disqualified you from doing so, is one of the most selfish decision you can make as a driver. It is entirely right that maximum sentences are being increased, and we hope that judges will make use of them where appropriate. This is a good first step to securing better justice for victims and families, many of whom have been left feeling betrayed by inappropriate charges and paltry sentences.


The road safety charity says that there are a number of other urgent issues with how the justice system handles cases of criminal driving, and it will be pressuring whoever forms the next Government to follow the current Ministry of Justice review through to a satisfactory conclusion.

Source Fleet News

Taxi driver narrowly avoids jail after speeding lie

62-year-old Mohammed Malik claimed a mechanic was driving his Toyota Avensis when it was clocked traveling at 37mph in a 30 zone in Washwood Heath Road, Birmingham, in April last year.

Officers then wrote to the mechanic, only to have the letter returned saying he no longer lived at the address given. They also visited the address and found it was a residential property that had never been a garage.

This aroused more suspicion, so police then spoke to the cabbie's firm to get a print out of his journeys on the day in question - they clearly showed Malik had actually picked up a fare at the time, with the person clearly visible on speeding camera footage sitting in the back seat. Still, Malik insisted it was his mechanic at the wheel.

With the evidence stacking against him, Malik finally admitted the speeding offence and was subsequently charged with perverting the course of justice for lying about who was behind the wheel.
The driver, of Coleshill Road, Ward End, pleaded guilty to the charge and on 31 March he was handed a four month prison sentence - suspended for 18 months - plus 80 hours unpaid work and costs of £400. He was also banned from driving for six months.

PC Steve Jevons said "Malik may have avoided jail but the suspended sentence is hanging over him for the next year-and-a-half and it’s likely he will now be stripped of his taxi licence. With no livelihood, clearly this will have a huge impact on his life and he will have to ask himself if all his lies were worth the risk. We hope this case serves as a warning to others that lying to the police and the authorities is a serious offence and can ultimately land you behind bars."

Where you end up for lying about speeding - JAIL!

Martin Whitworth from Wythall, Birmingham,  A man has been jailed for six months after trying to avoid paying for speeding tickets.

He was issued with a speeding ticket after driving through a safety camera at 64 mph in a temporary 50 mph speed limit on the M5 in August last year.

Upon receiving the notice in the post he told police that someone must have stolen or cloned his registration plates.

Thinking he had got away with it he tried the ruse again when he sped through a West Midlands camera in Shirley on 18 August.

However enforcement officers became suspicious after investigations revealed that the theft had never been reported and after viewing the photographic evidence they were convinced that the man in the image was the registered keeper.

In a bid to clear up the confusion the 46-year-old was asked to visit the station to speak to the enforcement officers. Knowing that the police were on to him he panicked and reported his plates as stolen to cover up his actions.When interviewed where he admitted that he was the driver and had fabricated the lies in a bid to avoid the penalty points and fines.

Whitworth was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday 2 March after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice and two counts of excess speed.

PC Jason Dooley, from the Camera Enforcement Unit, said: “This should be a cautionary tale for anyone thinking of trying to avoid speeding tickets.

“The man spun a web of lies and tried to wriggle out of paying for the fines, thinking he could evade the police.

“What he did not count on was that we would investigate the offence fully.

“If Whitworth had taken the points he would have been out of pocket for a short time but now he will have a conviction that will always be with him.”

Woman Has “Narrow Escape” From Being Jailed After Speeding Point Scam.

Karen Cook-Wilson a mum of 4 got a friend from the local pub to help her try and avoid being landed with a ban when she was caught doing 35mph in a 30mph zone when she already had nine points on her licence.

Mrs Cook-Wilson was collared when the previous resident of her address realised the finger of blame was being pointed at her and came forward.

Mr Recorder William Lowe QC told her: “I credit that you didn’t understand how serious your behaviour was and how criminal it was, and the consequences that could have followed. There are people who have committed this offence in recent times who have ended up being sent to lesson, despite their high-public profile. The distinction is, you came to your senses, co-operated with the police, confessed all and were extremely remorseful.

“You have had a narrow escape today.”

The judge sentenced her to four months’ in jail, suspended for 12 months with supervision.
Glen Gatland, defending, said Cook-Wilson is a self-employed single mum who works hard to provide for her children, She appreciates how foolish and stupid she has been.”

The court heard the frightened mum was in tears during police interviews when she realised the seriousness of what she had done. She has no prior record with the police

Following the high profile case of Chris Huhne  and his ex wife Vicky Price who were sentenced to eight months each in jail for the same charge this lady certainly was lucky