“Their dishonest actions have also escalated the seriousness of the incident from speeding offences, which may possibly have been dealt with out of court, to having to appear before a crown court judge”

A man and a woman who plotted to dodge two speeding convictions have been sentenced for perverting the course of justice.

Asad Ashraf and Jayna Mistry were involved in the scam which saw an innocent person receive a fine and penalty points after the driver of a white Audi Q7 triggered two separate speed cameras.

West Yorkshire Police launched an investigation after the innocent party received a letter from the court service demanding payment of a £706 in fines and court costs for the speeding incidents which took place in Cottingley Cliffe Road and Toller Lane, Bradford, in January and September 2023.

Further enquiries established he had also received five penalty points on his driving licence.

Investigators from the Force’s Digital Submissions and Investigation Team established the Audi was insured by a company where Ashraf and Mistry were directors.

The original Notice of Intended Prosecution forms were initially sent to Mistry. They were later returned falsely claiming that an innocent individual was the driver and providing an address associated to Ashraf. Admissions to the speeding offences were subsequently received in the innocent party's name. Investigators later established that the individual had no involvement in the offences and had been deliberately identified in an effort to obstruct the course of justice.

Ashraf, aged 48, of Westfield Close, Bradford, and Mistry, aged 50, of Pintail Avenue, Bradford, both admitted two counts of committing acts with intent to pervert the course of public justice.

Appearing before Bradford Crown Court for sentencing on Friday (9 October), Ashraf was sentenced to three years and four months.

Mistry was sentenced to three years and six months.

Investigators found that the innocent person had provided his driving licence to a Bradford mobile phone shop as a form of ID to be photocopied. Ashraf was a director of the company which ran the shop.

Speaking after the sentencing, Rachel Wainwright from West Yorkshire Police’s Digital Submissions and Investigations team said: “Not only did Ashraf and Mistry attempt to dodge accountability for their actions, but they caused a significant amount of stress and anxiety to a completely innocent motorist who had nothing to do with this matter.

“Their dishonest actions have also escalated the seriousness of the incident from speeding offences, which may possibly have been dealt with out of court, to having to appear before a crown court judge.”

“I hope today’s sentencing serves as a message that we do investigate this kind of suspicious activity and we do take action.”