A man who offered a service to motorists promising them it would prevent them from being prosecuted for speeding offences has been jailed.
Khuram Yaqoob, aged 35, was sentenced to three years and four months at Bradford Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday, 3 December).
Yaqoob, of Westlands Drive, Bradford, became the subject of an investigation by West Yorkshire Police’s Prosecutions and Casualty Prevention Unit when he was arrested in connection with a firearms discharge in April 2019 and his mobile phone was seized.
Evidence was found on this device that he had been offering a fee-based service to others to avoid penalty points for speeding offences.
Yaqoob would supply details of properties he owned with fictitious names, so these could be used to complete Notices of Intended Prosecutions (NIPs) and these cases would be dropped when that person was found not to exist.
Enquiries into these offences resulted in many of his ‘customers’ being positively identified and led to them being charged for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Over the course of yesterday and today (Wednesday), the following people were jailed alongside Yaqoob, who pleaded guilty to a total of 25 counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Qaiser Rehman, aged 31, of Woodside View, Bingley, received 14 months.
Mohammed Macmour, aged 31, of Bentcliffe Drive, Leeds, received 12 months.
Russell Bland, aged 46, of Waterwheel Rise, Huddersfield, received 11 months.
Haroon Mushtaq, aged 28, of Woodland Crescent, Mixenden, received 10 months.
Usman Suleman, aged 37, of Princeville Road, Bradford, received 10 months.
Seth Mahmood, aged 26, of Alvanley Court, Bradford, received 10 months.
Safyan Sarwar, aged 32, of Lindley Moor Road, Huddersfield, received 10 months.
Ibrar Hussain, aged 28, of Bronshill Grove, Allerton, received nine months.
Waqas Hanif, aged 33, of Lilycroft Road, Bradford, received nine months.
Nosheen Ashraf, aged 31, of Rushton Road, Bradford, received seven months.
Mohammed Yunis, aged 28, of Chapel Lane, Allerton, received seven months.
Billy Thomas-Hopwood, aged 34, of Yewdall Way, Bradford, received six months.
Idris Yousaf, aged 45, of Sycamore Avenue, Huddersfield, received six months.
Shakeel Shazad, aged 32, of Church Street, Heckmondwike, received six months.
Mohammed Bhatti, aged 26, of Grange Drive, Allerton, received six months.
The following people received suspended sentences for a period of two years:
Shazad Ul Hamid, aged 46, of Emm Lane, Bradford, received an eight-month sentence.
Safina Iqbal, aged 34, of Scholes Street, Bradford, received six months.
Akib Mahmood, aged 30, of Wimborne Drive, Allerton, received six months.
Speaking after the sentencing, Rachel Wainwright, of West Yorkshire Police’s Prosecutions and Casualty Prevention Unit, said:
“Yaqoob convinced his customers that they would be able to escape speeding offences by following his advice and sending him money.
“Instead, they have found themselves before the same court as him, where they have been dealt with for a serious offence.
“Speeding is a major factor in road traffic collisions in West Yorkshire, and it is only right that those who are caught speeding are dealt with in the proper way.
“Perverting the course of justice is a serious offence and I hope this outcome sends out a warning to anyone who thinks they can evade detection for offences committed on our roads.”
