Judge praises gang-buster
A determined police officer whose hard work helped put a unrepentant crook behind bars has been praised by her judge for her dedication to the case.
Syed Shahed Ahmed was jailed for three years and six months at Newcastle Crown Court this week after his sophisticated scam to help dishonest drivers escape motoring convictions came crashing down.
And it was Pc Fiona Wood, of Northumbria Police, who led the three-year investigation into Sunderland man Ahmed, who promised drivers caught speeding that he could make their points and fines disappear.
Known within his circles as “The Fixer”, Ahmed, 43, tested his clients’ means and charged anything from £50 to hundreds of pounds before using false details and a string of addresses across Sunderland to disguise his criminality.
The fraudster, of Vale Street, Sunderland, admitted 16 counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice as well as money laundering in relation to the distribution of the funds he had accrued on Monday, November 25.
Fourteen defendants paid to use his service and they were also convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Judge Robert Spragg awarded a commendation to Pc Wood in recognition of her determination and professionalism in bringing Ahmed and his affiliates to justice.
He said: “It is apparent that it is only due to the dedication and inquisitiveness of Pc Wood whilst working in the ticketing office that these offences came to light at all.
“This necessarily involved the following up of numerous lines of inquiries and the tracing and interviewing of those who had availed themselves of the service he was offering.
“Such offences as these can significantly undermine the administration of justice and the work of Pc Wood has led to the conviction and sentence of these defendants, with Ahmed receiving a lengthy custodial sentence.”
Superintendent Helena Barron, of Northumbria Police’s Operations Department, also paid tribute to her officer.
She said: “Pc Wood should be very proud of this excellent work, and I would like to thank her for her unwavering professionalism and dedication while ensuring the defendants were rightly brought to justice."