Man caught speeding five times in two weeks is jailed after inventing elaborate blackmail plot to escape ban

Paul Ingram, of of Netherthorpe Lane, Killamarsh, faced a six month ban after he was caught speeding five times within a fortnight in March 2017.

The offences took place in the south of Lincolnshire on the A16 and A1.

James McLernon, prosecuting, told Lincoln Crown Court the vehicle involved was a hire car which had been arranged through Ingram’s employer DPD.

Ingram was identified as the driver but he then claimed another employee Jagtor Singh was driving.

Police subsequently contacted Mr Singh but he was able to prove that he could not have been the driver.

Mr Singh wrote to the police saying that not only was he not the driver but he was not in the country at the time.

He provided a copy of his passport which had been stamped showing that between 11 and 29 March he was in India.

Ingram’s response was to make a 999 call to Derbyshire police saying he was being blackmailed by a third party over the issue for the sum of £5,000.

Mr McLernon said that the blackmail allegation was false and Ingram then went on to make a false witness statement to police in support of the allegation.

The prosecutor told the court “He used his position within the company as a manager to obtain the details of Mr Singh. He had Mr Singh’s driving licence and other details . It only came apart when the passport showed Mr Singh was out of the country.”

Ingram ,40, admitted a charge of perverting the course of justice. He was jailed for 10 months and banned from driving for 11 months.

Judge John Pini QC told him “There has to be an immediate custodial sentence. Perverting the course of justice is a serious matter because it strikes at the very heart of the justice system.”

The judge praised PC Michael Colbourne who carried out the police investigation into the matter.

“The only reason this wasn’t successful was because of the dogged work of PC Colbourne. It was an excellent piece of police work.”

Rebecca Coleman, in mitigation, said “He has no previous convictions. He has always had full-time employment. He has always had jobs in a managerial position.

“He found himself in a position where all of that would potentially have been lost. He was scared and he panicked. Things spiralled out of control.

“He is incredibly sorry for this whole affair. He will do anything he can to put it right.

“I am asking you to show mercy given he is a man of 40 years of age who is not simply of good character but he is of impeccable character.”