Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
Level with us – don’t lie!
POLICE REPROVE DRIVER WHO TRIED TO TRICK HIS WAY OUT OF LEVEL CROSSING OFFENCE ENDED UP PAYING ALMOST £1,000 MORE
A MAN from Uxbridge who drove through a level crossing has been jailed after trying to avoid prosecution by paying a friend £250 to make the offence “go away”.
Rajender Singh, 35, of Hubbards Close, was sent a notice of intended prosecution after he drove through a White Hart Lane level crossing when the lights were red in April last year.
His friend Paramjeet Talwar, of Furnival Avenue, Slough, told Singh that he could make the offence “go away” in return for £250, an offer which Singh later admitted agreeing to.
Talwar, 41, gave him fake details to give to British Transport Police (BTP), which were later found to be false.
Talwar then submitted a provisional driving licence on Singh’s behalf, but officers investigated because a person with a provisional licence was not insured on the car at the time of the offence.
In a subsequent police interview, Singh admitted to lying and paying Talwar.
The pair were arrested and were both jailed for eight weeks after pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice at Blackfriars Crown Court on Wednesday February 14.
They were also both made to pay £500 in costs and a £115 victim surcharge.
Singh received four points on his licence and a £350 fine for the initial charge of driving without due care and attention.
Speaking after the sentencing, BTP’s PC Julian Mason said: “Had Singh admitted the original offence after driving through the level crossing barriers, he could have most likely received three points and a fine.
“But because he tried to pull the wool over our eyes, he’s learned the hard way that honesty is the best policy.
“After a thorough investigation and a lot of hard work, I’m pleased this has paid off and the sentence sends the right message to people that lie and think they can get away with it.”