Uninsured and over the drink limit, driver gave sister’s details to police

A UNIVERSITY student from Leicester gave her sister’s details when she was stopped by police and found to be over the drink-drive limit.

Avneet Chatha (23), who works part-time as a Covid-19 tester, was driving a Volkswagen Polo when a police officer saw the car on Derby Road, in Nottingham city centre.

The officer pulled Chatha’s car over as it was being driven faster than other vehicles and noticed she smelt of alcohol. But Chatha, of Cherrybrook Close, Braunstone, provided her sister’s name, address and date of birth to the officer at 3.55am on October 2 last year.

She failed a roadside breath test and was arrested for drink-driving, Alan Murphy, prosecuting, told Nottingham Crown Court.

She was charged with drinkdriving, again in her sister’s name, and signed the charge sheet.

“She was bailed to attend court on November 19, 2019”, said Mr Murphy.

But 10 days later, the same officer saw the same Volkswagen Polo being driven in the early hours of the morning and pulled the car over.

The driver gave the same details as Chatha had done - but the officer could see it was a different person. It was Chatha’s sister who had her driving licence with her. The officer realised the details were correct and allowed her to go, but made inquiries to resolve what happened 10 days earlier.

When Chatha did not turn up at the magistrates’ court to face the drink-driving charge, magistrates issued a warrant for her arrest.

The following day her solicitor got in touch with police and she admitted her deception.

Chatha was the owner of the vehicle but was not insured to drive it and so she panicked.

She pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and a 12-month driving ban and an order to pay court costs of £500.

Chatha was represented by Laura Pitman, who said her client was in her final year at Nottingham Trent University and has exams next year.

The court heard if there had been no deception, she would have appeared before magistrates for drink-driving, been fined and disqualified almost certainly for 12 months. “She is deeply ashamed,” added Miss Pitman.

Chatha’s sister wrote a reference for the court, part of which said: “I will not hold this against her.”