A university graduate has been jailed for perverting the course of justice by lying to police over a speeding fine…and all to avoid three points on her licence.
Ayesha Ahmed, from Baptist End Road, Netherton, was caught speeding in her BMW twice inside five minutes by the same mobile camera parked near her home in St Peter’s Road.
But rather than accept a driver awareness course, a fine and a three-point endorsement she paid £450 to a man who claimed he could exploit a “legal loophole" that would enable her to escape punishment.
Both Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs) sent to Ahmed were returned suggesting a Ms Nosheen Yoqum, from Forrester Street in Walsall, was behind the wheel at the time of the offences.
Officers from West Midlands Police’s Camera Enforcement Unit became suspicious as the 27-year-old had previously emailed the unit claiming she was being followed at the time and pleading to be let off.
Enquiries revealed eight other speeding offences had been attributed to drivers living at the same Forrester Street address - but there was no record of them ever being tenants and checks with DVLA also drew a blank.
In a police interview Ahmed - who graduated with a 2:1 in International Relations & Politics - admitted trying to dodge the penalty points but insisted she thought the £450 was being paid to a specialist speeding fine lawyer.
She maintained her innocence through a two-day trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court but on Monday (April 25) was jailed for three months after a jury unanimously found her guilty of trying to pervert the course of justice. She was also banned from driving for 58 weeks.
PC Steve Jevons from the Camera Enforcement Unit, said: “Ahmed has paid a heavy price for thinking she could lie her way out of speeding offences. We examined footage of the offences and it’s clear she was not being followed; the jury concluded she was deliberately trying to avoid justice and not, as she claimed, victim of a scam by a bogus lawyer.
“She never met this ‘legal expert’, didn’t have an address or phone number for him, and paid the money via a third party.
“Ahmed was given every opportunity to admit her guilt - an admission that would have spared her a jail term - and even the judge asked if she wanted to proceed to trial in the face of damning evidence.
“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.
“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 onto phantom drivers knowing the authorities won’t be able to trace them and assuming the matter will be dropped.
“They never meet in person and won’t give contact details so it makes them hard to trace - but we will investigate and anyone found lying to the police and courts must understand they face the prospect of time in prison."
Ahmed was clocked driving at 39 and 40mph in the St Peter’s Road 30 zone just after midday on 30 July 2014.
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