Men who blamed innocent drivers for speeding offences sentenced

The men were handed suspended prison sentences at York Crown Court earlier this month

Two men who blamed an innocent driver for speeding offences have been sentenced after pleading guilty to perverting the court of justice.

Samadur Rahman Choudhury and Shan Antonio Deng both said the same man was the driver of their speeding vehicles in incidents in North Yorkshire.

In a separate offence, Choudhury named a second innocent man as the driver behind another speeding offence.

Both men have been given suspended prison sentences.

They will also have to carry out unpaid work, pay a sum of money to the victims and pay costs.

Choudhury, 28, of Ashmore Gardens, Bradford, was caught speeding in his work van in North Yorkshire on 7 December 2020 and 1 May 2021.

Deng, 25, of Ashville Grove, Halifax, was also caught speeding in a work van in North Yorkshire on 7 December 2020.

According to North Yorkshire Police, the victims who were wrongly named by Choudhury and Deng as being responsible had initially appeared to admit to police by post that they had been the drivers at the relevant times.

However, afterwards, police launched an investigation into all three prosecutions due to suspicions false nominations had been made for each.

Footage from camera vans confirmed it was Choudhury and Deng that committed the offences, police said

Footage taken from the camera vans which captured Deng's offence and one of Choudhury's offences confirmed the pair had been driving at the time.

Choudhury's employer was able to corroborate that it was the 28-year-old who was driving at the time of the second offence.

Both men were subsequently charged with perverting the course of justice and pleaded guilty.

At York Crown Court on 19 April, Choudhury was handed a nine-month suspended prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was also told to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months, pay £150 to the victim, and pay costs of £430.

On the same day at York Crown Court, Deng was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months, pay £150 to the victim, and pay costs of £430.

No evidence was found that Choudhury and Deng conspired together to name the first victim for their offences, according to North Yorkshire Police.

Speaking after the men were sentenced, PC Michael Ray, of North Yorkshire Police's Traffic Bureau, said: "Making false nominations to avoid prosecution for speeding offences is a serious criminal offence and will be robustly investigated by North Yorkshire Police.

"The victims in these cases had to expend some considerable effort in making statutory declarations to the court that they were not responsible for the speeding offences committed."