MP ‘trapped by lies’ after trying to avoid speed camera points

A LABOUR MP became “trapped” by lies after trying to give speeding points to a former lodger who was in Russia at the time, a court has heard.

Fiona Onasanya, MP for Peterborough, was allegedly driving when her car was caught on camera travelling at 41mph in a 30mph zone on July 24 2017.

It was claimed she told authorities Aleks Antipow, a Russian who briefly lived in a property she and her brother Festus rented, was at the wheel.

But Mr Antipow was “at home with his parents in Russia” on July 24, while the number and address provided for him were linked to Ms Onasanya’s brother, the Old Bailey was told.

The 35-year-old MP denies perverting the course of justice by providing false details.

David Jeremy QC, prosecuting, said: “This case did start as a case about an offence of speeding. It has become, as a result of the choices made by Ms Onasanya, a case about lying. Lying persistently and deliberately, lying all the way to this court and it may be even lying in this court ... lying to avoid prosecution for a breach of the laws that apply, or should apply, to all of us.”

Ms Onasanya’s car had been caught speeding in Thorney, Cambridgeshire, the court heard with cell tower data placing her two phones in the area of the camera at the time, Mr Jeremy said.

The authorities were sent a form naming Mr Antipow as the driver and giving his address as Hazelwood Close, Cambridge. While he had lived at another property the MP rented, he had never lived at Hazelwood Close. A phone number linked to a company for whom Festus Onasanya had worked.

Investigators, first from the ticket unit and then the police, struggled to contact the MP when discrepancies were noticed, it was claimed.

Mr Onasanya last week admitted perverting the course of justice in relation to his sister’s car and two further speeding incidents with his own car.

Mr Jeremy said the siblings had “acted jointly”. The trial continues.