9:49pm Tuesday 30th June 2009
By Michael Black
A businessman who feared for his company after getting a speeding ticket has been given a suspended prison sentence for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Peter Rae, 56, had nine points on his licence when he got a fixed penalty ticket in Suffolk in September.
Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday that Rae, who runs Yorkshire Envelopes at Crossflatts, Bingley, agreed with employee Wayne Richards that he should say he was the driver of the Audi to avoid any chance of his boss getting a driving ban.
Prosecutor Louise Azmi said the pair were arrested in March and both told police they had been concerned about the impact a driving ban for Rae would have on a business which employs 60 people.
Rae, of Moor View Drive, Bingley, was yesterday given a three-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work for the community.
Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC also fined him £1,000 and told him to pay the total costs of £250.
Richards, 29, of Little Horton Lane, Bradford, also admitted the conspiracy charge and he was ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work.
Rae’s barrister Jeremy Lindsay described his client as the “lynchpin” of the company.
“As a consequence one cannot excuse what he did but one might perhaps understand why that knee-jerk stupidity was the kind of reaction that he had in relation to this,” said Mr Lindsay.
He said Rae feared for the effect on his employees rather than himself and that resulted in a “wholly unusual” breach of his good character.
“At the time he was under enormous pressure as far as work was concerned and frightened as to what the effects might be,” said Mr Lindsay.
Judge Durham Hall said the courts were always concerned about an attack on the criminal justice system and he told the pair it was a disappointment to see people of their quality in court.
“It must indeed, Mr Rae, be doubly humiliating to be sitting in the dock of a criminal court being addressed by somebody like me and being told you have shown poor judgement, poor discrimination and that you have let the side down,” said Judge Durham Hall.
“I recognise from all the references that the one thing you are is a responsible, caring team player.
‘’You were, I am satisfied, motivated not by self preservation, but by the need to preserve your business and preserve the employment of the likes of Mr Richards and I am satisfied Mr Richards only acted out of personal loyalty to you and personal loyalty to the firm.’’ The judge said Rae should have gone to court to argue his case in respect of any driving ban and he suggested the magistrates may have taken pity on him and given him a last opportunity.
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