Speeding BMW Driver Lied To Police

Court Date: O'Regan

A speeding BMW driver tried to duck justice by lying a woman was driving his car when it was caught on camera.

Leon O'Regan, 31, has previous convictions for drink-driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

He tried to find someone willing to take the blame for the offence before giving the woman's details and forging her signature.

Project manager O'Regan, of College Drive, Ruislip, who works for a civil engineering firm, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice on May 26, last year by providing false details to the police.

Prosecutor Mr. Bill McGivern told Isleworth Crown Court O'Regan's vehicle was caught on camera speeding at 45mph in Canterbury, Kent.

As the registered keeper he was written to, but claimed a woman in Pinner was driving the car at the time.

Checks were made and police found text exchanges between O'Regan and the woman and a handwriting expert confirmed she did not sign her signature.

O'Regan was questioned and confessed. “He had forged her signature and accepted he was the driver and said if she took the punishment he would sort her out.

“He asked a number of people before she took the punishment for him and he had three points on his licence at the time.

“The Crown does not say she was part of it and an aggravating feature is his persistence in trying to find someone to take the penalty points.”

O'Regan's lawyer Mr. James Kelly told the court: “It's a silly offence, pay the fine and it's only three points.”

O'Regan was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months and was disqualified from driving for nine months.

He was also fined £1,000, with £250 costs and ordered to attend fifteen sessions of a probation service-ordered thinking skills programme.