DUMB CRIMINAL: PENSIONER SETS UP FAKE COMPANY TO GET OUT OF SPEEDING FINE
by Hazed
Sometimes the things a person will do to get themselves off a minor crime end up costing them far more dearly. This week’s dumb criminal story is a tale of someone desperate to escape a fine for speeding who went to extraordinary lengths.
Gordon Lewis, a 74-year-old from Cornwall, England was snapped by a speed camera in 2012 exceeding the speed limit. But instead of just accepting the £60 fine and three points on his licence, he tried to challenge the offence by claiming he had sold his vehicle a few days before that to a fictitious company.
To support his claim, he forged documents, and even set up a bogus website for the company he said had bought the car. He faked a receipt for the sale, a company checklist and other documents to back up his claim. He claimed the company was based at an address in Liverpool, but his fabrication started to unravel when the authorities made initial enquiries and discovered the address he had given was in fact that of a pub.
He was eventually convicted of the speeding offence in 2014 by magistrates, but even at this point he refused to give up his lie: he appealed their decision and the case went to the Crown Court. He was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and has been sentenced to eight months in jail.
And all because he wanted to avoid paying a £60 fine.
This reminds me of the case of British politician Chris Huhne who in 2003 was caught speeding, but because he already had points on his licence, having any more added would have resulted in a driving ban. To avoid that, he claimed his wife was driving. She went along with it and accepted the licence points on his behalf. Then in 2012 it all came to light during a vicious divorce fight between the two, and both of them were jailed for perverting the course of justice.
