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Fake ambulance driver Phillip Lemonheigh jailed | Fake ambulance driver Phillip Lemonheigh jailed |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Neath man who disguised his car as an ambulance by fixing a blue light to it has been jailed for 20 months. | A Neath man who disguised his car as an ambulance by fixing a blue light to it has been jailed for 20 months. |
Phillip Lemonheigh, 60, admitted dangerous driving and three counts of perverting the course of justice. | |
He made his Renault look like a first responder's vehicle, and drove it despite not having a licence, Swansea Crown Court heard. | |
Lemonheigh said he bought the blue light to take his ill wife to hospital quicker. She has since died. | |
The court heard there were a number of incidents leading up to his arrest. | |
On 24 August, 2011 a speed camera recorded him travelling at 68mph in a 50mph zone at junction 40 of the M4. | |
Later, he was spotted speeding on the same stretch of motorway. | |
Then on 8 July, 2013 a speed camera caught him running a traffic light 24 seconds after it turned red at 73mph on the A4119 in Llantrisant and was later arrested. | |
Fake licence | |
The court heard when the authorities requested details of the driver involved, Lemonheigh sent them driving licence information of a man who lost his licence in 1994 and now lives in Bulgaria. | |
They had no idea how he had that information. | |
Lemonheigh only had a provisional driving licence and already had six points on it. | |
Recorder Peter Griffiths said Lemonheigh had "a dishonest streak" and he had no hesitation in sending him to prison. | |
He added: "You sailed through a red light and you could have caused a very serious accident." | |
Lemonheigh was given 12 months for dangerous driving and eight months for perverting the course of justice. | |
He was also banned from driving for three years. |