Bradford taxi driver 'played games' with the law to avoid speeding pointsA BRADFORD taxi driver who "played games" with the law to avoid speeding points on his licence has been banned from driving and ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £500.
Father-of-six Raza Khan was charged with perverting the course of public justice after naming two other men he blamed for doing 37mph on Huddersfield Road, Wyke, Bradford, at 4.32am on August 25 last year.
Today, on the day he was to stand trial at Bradford Crown Court, Khan pleaded guilty to the less serious charge of wasting police time.
Prosecutor Ben Campbell said Khan, who was working part-time as a taxi driver at the time, was sent a number of notices of intent to prosecute.
He told the police a 'Mr Metcalfe', and then a 'Mr Wood', were at the wheel of the vehicle, doing seven mph over the speed limit, that morning.
Khan, 55, of Kimberley Street, Laisterdyke, Bradford, was arrested on January 13 and continued to deny that he was the driver.
Shown worksheets from the taxi firm, he then said he realised it was him and there had been a mix-up.
Mr Campbell said Khan, who was assisted by an interpreter in court, had nine points on his licence at the time, according to the police.
Another three could have led to a driving ban in the magistrates court.
Khan's solicitor advocate, Mohammed Hussain, said he had no previous convictions.
He worked for a car company but was supplementing his income last summer by driving a taxi in his spare time.
Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said of Khan: "If he is cynical enough to play this game again, he will be in very big trouble."
There followed an exchange of cricketing analogies as England's recent One Day International victory over New Zealand received an unexpected mention.
The judge said Khan didn't handle the situation "with a straight bat."
To which Mr Hussain replied: "He certainly didn't play like England did yesterday, Your Honour."
Khan was banned from driving for 28 days. He was ordered to pay a £250 fine and £250 in court costs.
Judge Durham Hall told him: "Be more careful. You've cost a lot of time and money. No more nonsense."
source:
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/13341295._/
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