Taxi driver jailed at Leeds Crown Court for perverting justice over lies he told after triggering motorway speed camera

Naveed Asghar was caught travelling at 91mph in a BMW on the M1 in the early hours of November 8, 2018, but returned a notice of intended prosecution claiming he no longer owned the vehicle.

Jessica Strange, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court that the 33-year-old claimed he had sold the vehicle to a car sales company but further investigation uncovered

that the firm had ceased trading two months earlier.

The BMW was also still insured to Asghar.

Asghar, of Agbrigg Road, Wakefield, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

Mr Shakoor said his client was a hard worker, and at the time of the offence had been working in a supermarket during the day and as a taxi driver on an evening.

He added: "He was trying to make ends meet and struggling financially. He made a very serious lapse of judgement and he has been caught out."

The court heard Asghar is married with two young children, and a report stated he is remorseful and regretted his actions.

But Judge Mushtaq Khokhar told him: "Because you are a taxi driver you wanted to avoid having points on your licence.

"You were trying to undermine the criminal justice system.

"This is such a serious offence that nothing but custody can be justified."

Ashgar was jailed for nine months.

Afterwards the case, Rachel Wainwright from the prosecutions and casualty prevention unit at West Yorkshire Police said: "Asghar tried to get away with it by providing false information to the Police. I am glad he was subsequently charged.

"I am pleased with the sentence handed down which shows we will not tolerate people trying to evade prosecution for poor driving on our roads.

"I hope this serves as a lesson to other people who think they can supply false details to the police. Not only will they be committing a crime but they could face prison time."