A policewoman and her fiancé have been cleared of conspiring to pervert the cause of justice at a hearing at Southwark Crown Court.

Lee Wilton received a notice of intended prosecution (NIP) and asked his fiancée PC Anna Glynn whether she'd claim she was the driver at the time of the offence so he could avoid incurring further penalty points.

PC Glynn rang Bedfordshire Police Central Ticketing Office to claim she was driving. In a recording of the conversation played to the jury, PC Glynn said: "I'm just ringing up about this NIP. I want to see how I can go about doing the course to avoid getting the points."

PC Glynn, who has long blonde hair, was told that a photo taken by the speed camera showed a man with short dark hair at the wheel.

In a later telephone conversation between PC Glynn and Mr Wilton, she was asked by him to cut and dye her hair, but she refused. Further telephone conversations revealed PC Glynn informing her colleagues that she said was considering claiming it was her driving. Ultimately, Mr Wilton accepted he was driving.
 
However, all of the telephone conversations were being recorded and the Crown Prosecution Service saw fit to prosecute both for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Both PC Glynn and Mr Wilton said that the possibility of PC Glynn claiming she was the driver was discussed, but that there was no agreement to do so.

The jury agreed with the version of events put forward by PC Glynn and Mr Wilton, and found them not guilty.

It is likely that if PC Glynn had agreed to claim it was her driving, both her and Mr Wilton would have been found guilty of perverting the cause of justice.

If you receive a NIP it's best to seek expert advice straightaway. By taking matters into your hands you may end up in further trouble.

Access Legal from Shoosmiths can provide you with straightforward, easy to understand advice. We operate on a transparent, fixed fee basis, with different packages to suit your budget and situation.

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