Driver tried to deceive police with fake licence after he was stopped in uninsured car in Leeds

A man tried to deceive police using a fake licence after he was stopped in a car which he was uninsured to drive.
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Jatmir Shurdhi gave a false name and date of birth after he was stopped by officers in a Ford Focus in Harehills on July 20 this year.

Leeds Crown Court heard the officers carried out checks then asked the defendant to produce his licence.

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The 27-year-old said his licence was at home and the officers went with him to the property so they could check the document.

Leeds Crown CourtLeeds Crown Court
Leeds Crown Court

Marton Robertshaw, prosecuting, said it was obvious to the officers that the licence was a forgery.

Shurdhi, an Albanian national who is seeking asylum in the UK, continued to insist that the licence was genuine for a further 45 minutes.

The officers used a mobile fingerprint scanner which revealed Shurdhi's true identity.

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Mr Robertshaw said the insurance for the vehicle was invalid as Shurdhi had taken it out in a false name.

Shurdhi, of Street Lane, Roundhay, pleaded guilty to using a driving licence with intent to deceive, obstructing a police officer, having no licence and having to insurance.

John Bottomley, mitigating, said Shurdhi pleaded guilty to the offence at an early stage.

The barrister said: "He deeply regrets the decision he took and he has been regretting it ever since."

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Mr Bottomley said his client had been the manager of a company and was studying to be an accountant in Albania but had to flee the country because of his sexuality.

He said Shurdhi managed to obtain the forged licence for £100 and bought the car after borrowing money from relatives.

Mr Bottomley added: "He wanted to have a sense of freedom that a motor vehicle affords."

Sentencing, Recorder David Gordon said: "In my view this is a serious offence.

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"Having a false document of this kind would have allowed you access to all manner of different services in this country and had the potential for allowing multiple deceptions.

"This is serious offending. You have sought asylum in this country.

"One might expect that you would be, in the circumstances, careful to abide by the law of this country while your case was being considered.

"It is troubling that you have obtained a forged driving licence and used that to obtain insurance under the false identity.

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"I have read that you have an allowance of only £35 per week and you are not permitted to work in this country,

"Nonetheless you have managed somehow to buy a motor vehicle and also pay for motor insurance.

"This raises concerns regarding the kind of people with whom you are associating in the UK.

"However, I cannot and will not sentence on the basis of those concerns."

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Shurdhi was given a ten-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work.

He was also made the subject of an electronically-monitored curfew order for three months and banned from driving for 12 months.