8 month prison sentence

Today, 12/3/10, Tracey Anne Stevens, 41 from Plymouth, appeared in Plymouth Crown Court and was found guilty of perverting the course of justice in relation to a red traffic light offence at the junction of Outland Road and Peverell Park Road, Plymouth on 17/9/09. She received an 8 month prison sentence.

Having received a Notice of Intended Prosecution for the traffic light offence, Stevens replied to the Safety Camera Unit saying that the brakes on her vehicle had failed and it was this failure that had forced her to drive through a red light. She explained that the brakes had subsequently been fixed at a local garage and, as requested, produced an invoice dated 17/9/09, the day of the offence, to verify this. This later turned out to have been falsified.

On 25/10/09 the vehicle was inspected by a Police motor vehicle technician who stated that he could see no new parts fitted to the braking system and, in his opinion, the brake pads fitted to the front assembly were 60% worn. In addition, the Force ANPR computer showed that the vehicle had been seen mobile on three separate occasions shortly after the original traffic light offence.

A spokesperson for the Devon and Cornwall Safety Camera Partnership said “It is disappointing to find that people are still going to great, and calculated, lengths to avoid prosecution despite extensive media coverage highlighting similar cases and their resulting sentences. We urge offenders to think seriously about the possible outcome of embarking on this course of action. Our enquiry officers will investigate all matters such as this and identify, and prosecute, those drivers who attempt to pervert the course of justice. Motorists must be aware that, if caught, they will face serious consequences; in this case an 8 month prison sentence as opposed to a £60 fine and 3 penalty points”.