Who Was Deported from UK Three Years Earlier
A cabbie has narrowly escaped prison for trying to palm off speeding points onto another driver − a man police discovered was not in the country at the time having been deported three years earlier. Abid Manzoor, from Essendon Grove in Alum Rock, triggered three speed cameras within the space of six weeks whilst working for a private hire firm. But instead of taking the fine and points on his licence − which was clean − he completed paperwork suggesting a friend was behind the wheel at the time. Officers from West Midlands Police’s Camera Enforcement Unit looked into the case when forms sent to Mr Jawad Abassi − deported to Pakistan in July 2011 having been jailed for drink driving − bounced back as “unknown at this address”.
They visited a house in Tyseley’s Medina Road − one of the addresses attributed to the phantom driver − but found it empty, whilst a former neighbour of Mr Abassi in Cotterills Lane, Alum Rock, confirmed he’d been thrown out of the country. And when journey records were examined at Manzoor’s employer, TC Radio Cars in Solihull, they showed the 39-year-old was on duty and assigned jobs shortly before the speed cameras were triggered. Manzoor claimed to have “made a mistake” when completing the Notice of Intended Prosecution forms − but went on to admit three speeding offences and trying to pervert the course of justice.
At Birmingham Crown Court on Monday (Jan 26) he was handed a six-month jail term, suspended for two years, ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community, and had eight points added to his licence. PC Steve Jevons from West Midlands Police, said: “It never ceases to amaze me how people think they can lie and avoid punishment for driving offences − but this was a particularly odd case as Manzoor’s licence was clean so even with the points he wouldn’t have been banned.
“We were able to provide solid evidence that he was behind the wheel at the time and, as this was a concerted effort to deceive the police, he was charged with trying to pervert the course of justice. “He may have avoided prison but the suspended sentence is hanging over him for two years and it’s likely the council will now strip him of his taxi licence…and ultimately his livelihood. “My advice to anyone who’s committed a driving offence is to admit it, take the punishment and move on.
Lying to the police and authorities is a serious offence and can land you behind bars.” Manzoor’s Skoda Octavia triggered a 30mph speed camera on the A4040 Stockfield Road on 13 January last year − travelling at 38mph − having been awarded his private hire licence only weeks earlier by Solihull Council. On 4 February it was clocked at 40mph in a 30-zone in Lode Lane, Solihull, and 13 days later a static speed camera recorded the Octavia going seven miles per hour over the 30-limit in Washwood Heath Road.
