Taxi driver who lied after running red light is jailed
A WOMAN taxi-driver who repeatedly lied to avoid three penalty points and a fine after running a red light has been jailed for trying to pervert the course of justice.
Tracey Stevens ran a light on Outland Road on September 17 last year.
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Caught by an automatic camera, her punishment would have been three points on her licence and a fine of £60-£100.
Instead, she constructed an elaborate alibi which was eventually exposed as a tissue of lies.
Stevens, 41, told police the brakes on her Citroen people-carrier had failed and she was unable to stop.
She had then left the signwritten Star Cars cab at the side of the road to be picked up and repaired by local garage Evans Halshaw, she said.
She eventually produced a letter-headed invoice from the garage detailing repairs costing £135.44.
But her plan unravelled because she made a series of mistakes:
A police expert examined the cab and found the brakes had not been repaired.
Three times in the hour following the incident, when Stevens claims the cab was abandoned by the side of the road, it was caught driving round Plymouth by cameras with a number plate recognition system.
The invoice had no receipt.
In her second police interview, carried out a day after the first at Stevens’ request, she admitted she had got a friend who worked at the garage to supply her with a blank invoice which someone had helped her fill in.
Jason Beal, for Stevens, said in the weeks before the incident, Stevens had suffered an incident in her cab which had distressed her so much that she had to take two weeks off from her job as a self-employed Star Cars driver.
This had strained her finances so she took a chance to avoid a fine.
Mr Beal added: “She is not a bad woman; there is good in her and she wants to give something back.”
Judge Francis Gilbert QC told Stevens her intention had been to avoid prosecution, but she had made matters much worse for herself.
Judge Gilbert jailed Stevens, of Cecil Street, Stonehouse, for eight months and imposed three penalty points on her licence.
A spokeswoman 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 eight-month prison sentence as opposed to a £60 fine and 3 penalty points.”
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by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 9:42AM
“:| Lenny I am sorry, but in my opinion yours is the mentality that says, the only ones that ever get any punishment are the ones that it's easy to catch; then you come down hard on them. . . The victims of 'real crime', you just say 'sorry' when the system allows an offender to wreck others lives. . Is it any wonder crime in this country now is as bad or worse than in the USA.
The classic was the farmer who ended up shooting at the burglars because he couldn't get the police or the 'law' to do anything about them. I don't think we will ever agree Lenny . . You take care now. . Best Charles”
by Anon, Devon
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 5:32AM
“Lenny, Sutton Harbour
I agree with you entirely, alas, there are a lot of people who will only see & hear what they want to see & hear........”
by Lenny, Sutton Harbour
Tuesday, March 16 2010, 12:08AM
“Charles - who said anything about taking this case in isolation? Certainly not me!
I said that the case should be looked at on its own merits. Not the same thing at all. When you do this, you will compare this sentence with other offences of a similar type - not try to equate sentences for completely unrelated types of crime.”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Monday, March 15 2010, 9:11PM
“:| @Lenny, Sutton Harbour
Lenny, you cannot take this sentence in isolation. . Punishment has to set against all other crimes and punishment meted out. . When we live in a wonderful crime free world, we can maybe start coming down hard on people who try and pervert the course of justice for petty offences. . When a man wipes lipstick from his cheek so his wife doesn't see it, or says it must have been his mum, he is perverting the course of justice.”
by Lenny, Sutton Harbour
Monday, March 15 2010, 1:48PM
“Charles Henry says in reply to my one previous post on this board: "You Sir are the type of person that has caused, and allowed this country's penal and criminal system to degrade to the level it has."
What? Did you actually read my post Charles? I was at pains not to pass comment on the sentences passed on "yobs" and just asked that people looked at the sentence in this case on its own merits.
You have somehow twisted this around and have accused me of being soft on yobbish behaviour, which i most certainly am not. Incredible!
I have a thick skin and acknowledge that, if you put your opinion out there in the public arena, others will disagree. Fine. But to be attacked for things that I haven't actually said well, it is you who deserves to be pilloried, "sir" not me.”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Monday, March 15 2010, 10:09AM
“:) @Barney Rubble, Bedrock
Good one Barney!! . . But you must admit. . I do know how to garnish support. . I'll send the Editor a few effigys of motorists for you to stick pins in. . Presumably you must be that. Liberal-Democrat who drives at 30mph in 50mph limits all the time.”
by Telf, Coventry
Monday, March 15 2010, 7:55AM
“I could not believe my eyes when I read the punishment in this case. I become incensed at the light punishments handed out all the time to 'hoodies' for kicking the daylights out of harmless victims.
How many offenders do NOT tell lies when apprehended? Are we to believe that none of these hoodies tell lies to avoid prosecution?
Watching the numerous real-time police videos on TV I have NEVER heard the commentator say that a charge of 'trying to pervert the course of justice' was added to the main offence !
How can we have confidence in a Justice system which is so woefully inconsistant.”
by William, Plymouth
Monday, March 15 2010, 7:52AM
“Judging by the comments made I would say unless you drive as a professional don,t comment on things you know nothing about.
Sure Tracy was a bit stupid but a heavy fine would have been sufficent. i hope the police are very proud of the hours that was put in on this investigation. Pity they don,t investigate real crimes. Is it to hard for them?”
by Sheila, Southway
Monday, March 15 2010, 6:21AM
“Hell's Bell's I'm all for justice being served if someone breaks the law but this is a bit steep I would have thought Community Service & up the fine would have been a better cause of action. Justice Gilbert must have been having a bad day”
by plymouth worker, plymouth
Monday, March 15 2010, 3:14AM
“I got in this ladys taxi many of times, she is a lovely lady who dont deserve this really.”