A taxi driver has been jailed for trying to avoid a speeding ticket.

Luton Crown Court was told on Friday that the officer who has been assigned to dealing with a spate of such offences has arrested 42 people in the last six months of which 33 have been taxi drivers.

Azizul Haque, 46, of Austin Road, Luton pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and speeding.

He was jailed for 14 days, and disqualified from driving for six months.

William Redgrave prosecuting said Haque’s taxi was caught by a speed camera on the A505 at Stopsley on Dec 27 last year doing 48 mph in a 40 mph area.

When asked to provide details of who was driving he gave the name James Thomas, but a letter sent to the address he gave was returned.

Police questioned Haque, who had been on duty that night and he claimed a man who wanted to buy his car was test driving it at 11.20 pm but he did not have his full details.

But he pleaded guilty when the case came to court.

Piers Reed, defending said Haque had nine penalty points and feared he would lose his licence and his livelihood.

In fact he would probably have escaped a ban under the totting up rules as three points only had a short time to run and he could have pleaded hardship.

He said: “He works very long hours and is paying for his son’s private education.

He knows that his stupidity has put his son’s future in real jeopardy.” Judge Michael Kay QC said: “There has been an alarming rise in the number of these incidents particularly among taxi drivers.

“There is a view that it is not a serious offence but it is. It undermines the criminal justice system, people who should be banned escape disqualification and it wastes public resources in pursuing these crimes.”

http://www.mk-news.co.uk/news/luton/2006/nov/26/speeding%20cabbie%20put%20behind%20bars%20for%20test%20drive%20con%20trick.lpf