Driver’s suspended sentence after trying to lie his way out of motoring offence

A DRIVER who tried to lie his way out of a motoring offence has been handed a suspended prison sentence after being found out by officers from Dyfed-Powys Police.

Daniel Jones, aged 34, of Lon Helyg, Newtown, was prosecuted for perverting the course of justice after giving a fictitious name when he was sent a Notice of Intended Prosecution for a driving offence.

On 14th September 2019, a cyclist was riding along the A4811 Llanidloes Road, Newtown, when he was overtaken too closely by a Landrover Freelander.

The incident was captured on a dashcam-type device and reported to police through the Go Safe: Operation Snap portal as an incident of careless driving.

On 20th September 2019, the Notice of Intended Prosecution was sent to Jones, the registered keeper.

Jones, an HGV driver, returned the blank driver nomination form and was duly sent a reminder.

On the 18th November 2019, police received the second response from Jones naming Rodney Evans as being the driver at the time the offence was committed.

A fictitious date of birth and an address near Montgomery were also supplied. But enquiries by officers revealed this to be a false nomination by Jones.

On the 31st July 2020, at Newtown Police Station, PC John Whiles interviewed Jones who provided a “No comment”, interview, but also denied any knowledge of receiving the documents sent to him or having any contact with the said documents.

The documents were subsequently submitted for fingerprint examination, which revealed Jones had left a print on the form.

Charge advice was sought from CPS where Jones was eventually summonsed for perverting the course of public justice by falsely nominating a fictitious name in an effort to avoid prosecution.

Jones maintained his innocence in denying any knowledge and continued to maintain a lie by pleading not guilty right up to the day of trial at Mold Crown Court on Monday 27th of September 2021, when he changed his plea to guilty.

PS Ian Price said: “The officer in the case (OIC), PC Whiles, showed great tenacity in refusing to accept the lies of Jones as he tried to avoid being prosecuted for a motoring offence that would probably have resulted in points.

“He ended up being prosecuted for a more serious offence and handed a suspended prison sentence.

“As this shows, trying to lie your way out of matters will backfire, you will get found out and you will be prosecuted.

“This is PC Whiles’ sixth successive conviction as OIC for perverting the course of public justice in the past four months, which started as road traffic offences.”

Jones had a conviction from January 2019 for failing to nominate a driver relating to an earlier speeding offence where he was issued with six penalty points on his driving licence.

Jones received a four-month custodial sentence suspended for 12 months, with a three-month, 6pm to 6am, curfew order.