Driver jailed for claiming speeding car was cloned

A driver who falsely claimed in court his number plate had been stolen and put on a different car when it was caught speeding, has been jailed.

Neil Pegg, 58, was caught doing 69mph (111km/h) in a 50mph (80km/h) limit on the A361 in Barnstaple, north Devon, in July 2019, Exeter Crown Court heard.

He was jailed for six months at Exeter Crown Court having been found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

Judge David Evans said it was a "wholly unbelievable story".

Pegg said his stolen plate was fitted to an identical vehicle, known as cloning.

The court heard the classic car collector and cleaning supervisor already had six points on his licence and feared a driving ban.

He invented a series of lies which started with the story of his Toyota Celica being cloned, and the lies grew ever more elaborate over a period of six months, the court heard.

Other claims included Pegg, from Burrington, saying he was at home recovering from a hospital operation at the time; and that his car had broken front suspension, even though it had passed its MOT four days earlier.

He was found guilty at a trial last month after a police officer working with the Devon and Cornwall Safety Camera Partnership unravelled his web of lies and found phone evidence which proved he was the driver.

The judge told Pegg: "You saddled yourself with a wholly unbelievable story and simply would not admit what you had done.

"Why you persisted in this foolishness, only you may know."

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