Pc in French fine-dodge attempt

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/derbyshire/6365875.stm

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A policeman who pretended a French man was driving his car when caught speeding has been found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

Mark Cuthbertson, 49, of The Plain, Brailsford, Derbyshire, was caught doing 38mph in a 30mph zone on the A52 in his village in May 2005.

He told officers Jean-Pierre Renard, of Paris, was the driver.

Sentencing at Leicester Crown Court was adjourned to 14 March and Cuthbertson was bailed.

The married father-of-two, who has since retired from the force, mistakenly believed it was Derbyshire Police's policy to disregard a speeding offence if a foreign national was named as the driver, the jury was told.

The suggestion that we automatically take no action in respect to certain types of cases is simply not true Derbyshire Deputy Chief Constable Alan Goodwin

The vehicle in question was a Ford Transit minibus belonging to the cab firm he also ran.

After his arrest, Cuthbertson told officers Mr Renard visited him on 14 May 2005 to ask if he could borrow it for a family visit to Alton Towers.

Subsequent inquiries by Derbyshire Police revealed the address given for Mr Renard was a hotel.

Derbyshire Deputy Chief Constable Alan Goodwin said: "The suggestion that we automatically take no action in respect to certain types of cases is simply not true.

"There's no formal policy in relation to foreign national drivers but where cases occur involving such a driver, each case is treated on its individual merits to determine whether it is practical or possible to take action against them."