Police officer Accused of Perverting the Course of Justice Over Speeding Ticket

image credit walesonline.co.uk

Anthony Rees-Thompson, A police officer who has worked for South Wales Police for 10 years years (covert operations unit) has been accused of perverting the course of justice over a speeding ticket, he is on trial at Cardiff Crown Court and denies the offense.

Addressing the jury, prosecutor Meirion Davies said: “The temptation is to say ‘it is only a speeding ticket’, but it is more than that. “His reaction is more important than the speeding offence itself. He has made a deliberate attempt to con his way out of it.”

Mr Davies told the court of the following points

a speeding offense was committed on Fabian Way in Swansea 35mph in a 30mph zone at 12.31pm on March 20, 2013, in a Vauxhall Corsa owned and usually driven by the officer’s mother and step-father.

The owners of the car were on holiday in Spain at the time of the offense and it was Rees-Thompson behind the wheel.

when the speeding notice arrived, it is alleged that Mr Rees-Thompson pretending to be his step-father suggested in a letter to the camera center that someone else might be using the same number plates.

They say the officer then ordered new registration plates to disguise the car, before sending off photographs for it to be compared to the vehicle caught in the speed camera image.

when interviewed, he told officers he had no recollection of being in Swansea on the date of the offense, but subsequently admitted it was “quite possible”.

the police officer claims the number plates were “a cosmetic change, legitimately made” after noticing that one of the originals was damaged.

Mr Davies said: “The Crown’s case is that this defendant made a deliberate attempt to pervert the course of justice. “He has obstructed the police and actively sought to hinder or block a proper prosecution of him.”

The hearing was at Cardiff Crown Court yesterday, but has been postponed and will start again on November 18.