Motorist who lied about Brighton speeding offences is jailed

A motorist who lied about two speeding offences in Brighton has been jailed for perverting the course of justice.

Shah Osmani, 27, was detected driving over the 30mph speed limit in Marine Parade, Brighton, twice in the early hours of August 7, 2020.

He was driving an Audi, which was his company car given to him by the company he worked for at the time.

When a Notice of Intended Prosecution was sent to the company, they nominated Osmani and a further notice of prosecution was then sent to him.

He responded by nominating an innocent person in an attempt to avoid prosecution.

Investigating officers checked Osmani’s changing accounts of who was behind the wheel on the night in question.

He first provided false addresses of the person who he claimed was responsible.

Then he used the person’s former driving licence and created false insurance documents in a bid to avoid paying any penalty and to add credence to his explanation to the police as to who was driving at the time of the offence.

When the person was traced, they told Sussex Police investigators that they had no knowledge of the incidents and confirmed that they had previously sent the old driving licence Osmani had used back to the DVLA some time prior to the dates of the offences.

The insurance company confirmed the documents sent to the police were forgeries.

Osmani was invited to attend a voluntary interview, where he further claimed that he was hiring out the vehicle to a friend because he had been furloughed from his job.

But he was not able to provide any further details of this person who was looking after the vehicle, apart from the person’s first name.

Despite being invited to do so, he provided no further information about the person to the police.

Following a detailed investigation, the case was handed to the Crown Prosecution Service who authorised the charge of perverting the course of justice.

Osmani, of Byron Avenue, Hounslow, Middlesex, finally admitted his guilt in November last year, and appeared before Lewes Crown Court for sentencing on January 10.

He was jailed for 20 weeks and ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge.

Following the conviction, investigating officer Christopher Raynor said: “Osmani went to extraordinary lengths to avoid two Notices of Intended Prosecution.

“He had three points on his licence at the time of the speeding offences and was of previous good character.

“This sentence shows that those who attempt to deceive the police and the courts will be caught and will face prosecution.”

Osmani was convicted as part of Operation Pinocchio, which was launched by Sussex Police in 2016 with the following aims:

• To improve safety on Sussex’s roads by tracing and prosecuting offenders who provide false information in an attempt to avoid prosecution.

• And to prevent law-abiding motorists, who have been badly advised, from committing serious criminal offences by attempting to avoid speeding or red light offences.