A BANNED and uninsured transporter driver who broke down on an M606 slip road and then lied to the police about his identity has been jailed.

Raja Ahmed, who was disqualified from driving three months’ earlier, was travelling from Telford to Brighouse with his wife’s Audi on the back of the vehicle.

He broke down in the second lane of the north junction three exit slip road at Bradford at 3.30pm on October 11 last year after driving for more than two hours.

Prosecutor Frances Pencheon said the police closed the slip road and helped to move the VW transporter, which was in poor condition, out of the way.

Ahmed, 30, of Hayes Road, Arleston, Telford, Shropshire, then lied to a police officer, giving a false name, date of birth and address that cast suspicion on an innocent man called Mohammed Ali.

Mr Ali was contacted by the police and rang to protest that it wasn’t his vehicle and he wasn’t there when it broke down.

Further enquiries were made and the Audi was found to be registered to Ahmed’s home address and he was the registered keeper of the transporter.

He went on to plead guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice and driving while disqualified and uninsured.

The court heard he was banned from driving for 12 months in July last year.

In mitigation, it was stated that he was driving to Brighouse to get the Audi repaired at a garage there. The transporter belonged to him when he was legally able to drive it, he did not buy it after receiving the driving ban.

He had lied to the police at the roadside and was never formally interviewed or made any sworn statement that was untrue.

Ahmed panicked when questioned at the scene because he was driving while disqualified. He was very sorry and remorseful and lightly convicted.

The court heard that he had two young children and worked as a chef to support his family.

Recorder Alistair MacDonald QC said Ahmed had been disqualified on two previous occasions under the totting up procedure.

He told him: “Offences like this strike at the very heart of the justice system and an immediate prison sentence is inevitable.”

Ahmed had driven a considerable distance in the transporter just three months after he was banned from driving.

He was jailed for a total of 22 weeks and banned from driving for 12 months plus half the custodial term.