Man Jailed Over "Road Speeding Scam"

[D-Angle]

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3596230

The Scotsman said:

Man Jailed over Road Speeding Scam By John Bingham, PA News Police today hailed a victory against road cheats after a man was jailed for masterminding a speeding scam. Clifford Mennell, 40, of Tavistock, Devon, was jailed for 33 months today for selling false names and addresses which allowed drivers across the country to speed without being caught by police camera vans at the roadside. Mennell’s operation enabled his customers – most of whom were behind the wheels of large goods vehicles – to flout speed limits and in some cases allowed motorists who should have been disqualified to stay on the road, police said. Mennell admitted 11 separate counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice at Salisbury Crown Court today and was jailed for three months on each charge, to run consecutively. Judge John Harrow also jailed one of Mennell’s customers, 49-year-old Andrew Freeston, of Wootton Basset, Wiltshire, for three months after he admitted one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in connection with an incident in the Dumfries and Galloway area. Wiltshire Police uncovered Mennell’s scam while investigating a crash in which two people died. A spokesman said the parties involved in the accident were not directly related to the scam. He said: “Mennell was providing false names and addresses for a fee. He was by various means, which we are not able to discuss, in a position to ensure that drivers caught speeding did not get prosecuted. “This meant that drivers who risked a fine or penalty points and some who should have been disqualified continued to hold their licences.” Inspector Paul Williams said: “The fact that drivers were able to speed in the knowledge that the ticket would be sorted out obviously had a serious effect on road safety and casualty reduction. “This case should serve as a warning to others who may consider trying to evade justice.”

Glad they caught him, but I can't help but notice the emphasis on speeding in the article. Never mind if they were banned, uninsured, or impersonating someone else - what matters is they were speeding! FFS