Ex-Pc jailed for French fine scam

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An ex-policeman who tried to dodge a speeding fine by claiming a Frenchman was driving his vehicle has been jailed for nine months.

Mark Cuthbertson, 49, of The Plain, Brailsford, Derbyshire, thought a speeding offence would be ignored if a foreign national was driving.

He was clocked at 38mph in a 30mph zone near his home.

Cuthbertson was found guilty of perverting the course of justice in a trial at Leicester Crown Court.

The court heard that a speed camera clearly snapped the policeman behind the wheel of the Ford Transit minibus.

Hotel ruse

The vehicle belonged to the taxi firm Cuthbertson had set up in preparation for his retirement.

Sentencing him, Judge Philip Head said: "This is a tragedy. It's a tragedy for the police force for which you had served for 30 years and a tragedy for the public, which expects the highest standards from its police officers."

In interviews after his arrest, Cuthbertson told police a Frenchman called Jean-Pierre Renard had visited him on the morning of 14 May 2005 to ask if he could borrow the vehicle for a family trip to Alton Towers.

The married father-of-two said he did not charge him for the hire to attract more business from Mr Renard in the future, Leicester Crown Court was told.

Police pension

When Derbyshire Police made inquiries with their French counterparts, they were told the address given for the mystery customer - 4 Rue des Halles - was actually a hotel.

The court was told Cuthbertson was worried about the effects of a driving offence on his police pension and insurance policy for his taxi firm.

He now stands to lose most or all of his police pension, the court heard.

Speaking after the trial, 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."