Speed fine dodger jailed (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Speed fine dodger jailed

2:49pm Tuesday 14th March 2006

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A WOMAN who tried to dodge several speeding penalties by giving the names of people she knew lived abroad is starting a six-week jail sentence.

Roshan Ahmed, 44, began her trail of offences on August 4, 2002, when she was caught exceeding 30mph on the A666 through Darwen.

Her vehicle was identified on a speed camera in Blackburn Road and a Notice of Intending Prosecution was sent to her home address, in Watford.

She returned the form to Lancashire Constabulary denying she was the driver and nominating a Janet Forbes as the driver at the time of the offence.

During the next three years she attempted to avoid being caught out by giving false information four more times.

Today, Det Sgt Mark Vaughton, of Darwen CID, warned motorists that trying to escape offences would not be tolerated. He said: "This case gives a clear indication that these sort of actions will not be tolerated and this woman has been dealt with in an appropriate manner by the police and the court.

"Members of the public need to accept that when they are caught speeding they need to pay the appropriate penalties.

"This is a prime example to people who try to falsify evidence and avoid paying any fines that they will be caught in the end."

Ahmed was charged with five offences of perverting the course of justice and jailed by West Hertfordshire Magistrates Court, Watford.

Her car was also caught on cameras exceeding the 30mph limit in Nottingham in October 2003, in the Thames Valley in November 2003, in Watford Junction in March 2004, and in Slough in June 2004.

Each time the addresses of the nominated drivers provided by Ahmed were in England but the people in question were either living abroad or could not be traced and therefore would not be prosecuted.

After further investigations by Lancashire Police, the pattern of speed offences and nomination of overseas drivers emerged.

Ahmed was arrested at Watford Police Station on October 6, 2005.

She said that she had nominated drivers who she believed were driving the car at those times and said that she had not attempted to mislead the police.

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