Police officer jailed for lies over road rage

ACROOKED police officer has been jailed for 21 months for lying about a Birmingham road rage incident – and then using a friend to provide a false alibi.

Zaid Malik, 51, was off duty when he became embroiled in a row with another driver in Stechford.

Witnesses accused the Pc of being the aggressor, but police chose not to press charges after a seemingly independent account from a Roger Baker backed his claims of being the innocent party.

But investigators became suspicious after revealing inconsistencies in their statements and discovered the two men were actually friends. They discovered Baker was not even at the scene of the road rage dispute in February 2015.

Malik was jailed for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice at Birmingham Crown Court. Baker, aged 50 and from Westfield Road, Acocks Green, was handed a 12-month jail term for the same offence.

Both men had been found guilty on February 3 following a trial.

Chief Inspector Brian Carmichael, from the Professional Standards Department, said after the sentencing: “PC Malik convinced a friend to provide a false alibi that muddied the waters of the road rage investigation.

“Investigators were presented with conflicting accounts from what appeared to be independent sources over who was the aggressor and who was responsible. However, our officers uncovered the truth – and both men are now paying with jail sentences.

“We demand the highest standards from all our officers. The public should expect to be treated fairly and respectfully. We will take action against anyone deemed to have fallen short of those standards.”

Malik continued to work for West Midlands Police in a role outside the evidential chain up to his court appearance.

A special disciplinary case hearing will now be held with Chief Constable Dave Thompson where he is likely to be sacked.

Malik had served more than 20 years with the force and was once confused with One Direction star Zayn Malik by David Cameron during a TV debate.