Jailed: Crash Driver Who Posed As Twin

Jailed: Carmen Joseph

An uninsured L-driver, who crashed her car, has been jailed for posing as her twin sister to police.

Businesswoman Carmen Joseph, 33, gave the name of her twin Cleo when officers arrived at the scene of the crash.

However, she did not know her sister had been banned from the roads and was arrested for driving while disqualified.

Joseph, of Hawke Tower, Milton Court Estate, New Cross collapsed in the dock at Woolwich Crown Court on hearing she was sentenced to twenty-eight days imprisonment.

She pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice in Amersham Grove, New Cross on January 13 by using her twin sister’s identity to avoid prosecution.

The court heard Joseph maintained the lie even when she was charged and bailed to appear in court, but failed to appear and a warrant was issued in her sister’s name.

Prosecutor Sean Clark told the court: “Police attended their address with the warrant to arrest the sister and if this defendant was not there she would have been arrested.

“This defendant came clean when the police were there.”

The court heard Joseph crashed into a parked car on January 13 and the owner came out of their home and called the police.

“You were driving on a provisional licence and you gave your identical twin sister’s details,” Sally Hales QC told her. “You were arrested at the scene because, unknown to you, your twin was disqualified from driving.

“You were taken to a police station and throughout the booking and charging procedure you maintained the deceit that you were your twin sister Cleo.

“You did not attend court and a warrant was issued for the arrest of your sister and when the police turned up on February 18 you acknowledged you were the person who did not appear and said it was because of covid.

“Covid was also used as an excuse as to why you gave false details at the scene of your crash.

“You put your sister in jeopardy of being arrested and put in custody.”

Joseph and her graduate sister run a beauty business and employ their mother.

Twin Trouble: Carmen (L) & Cleo (R) 

“She did end up spending a night in the cells and was fined and received six points on her licence,” said Leon Lynch, defending. “Prior to this she was a woman of good character.

“She is under no illusions that she is going to prison today and that she made a terrible error of judgement, almost causing her sister to be arrested and hindering the police investigation.

“After crashing the car she gave the wrong details while in a panic and her sister could have been arrested and remanded in custody.

“The consequences of what she did were very serious.”

Judge Hales added: “You have made a success of your life and you are an intelligent individual so it is all the more extraordinary you should lie in the way you did.

“The probation report says you made a bad decision through panic and are a low risk of ever being convicted again.

“However, this is an offence that is so serious only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”