Organised crime gang sentenced

Mohammed Saleem of Spring Bank Lane, Rochdale sentenced to 18 months imprisonment

Members of an organised crime gang who masterminded a scam to help drivers escape motoring convictions were sentenced today, Friday, 9 August 2013.

When a motorist commits an offence (speeding, contravening traffic lights) a notice of intended prosecution (NIP) and Section 172 Notice is sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle involved.

The purpose is to identify the driver of the vehicle at the time of the offence. The form allows the recipient to accept responsibility or nominate another person if someone else was driving.

The gang would accept blank NIPs from drivers and for a fee would submit false nominations. A made up name, and the address of 1 Coronation Gardens, Radcliffe, would be endorsed on the NIP and returned to the police.

A new NIP in the false name was then returned by police to the address, which had a damaged unlockable outside post-box, the NIP was then picked up by the gang and endorsed to accept responsibility for the offence, and returned to the police.

No further correspondence would be returned from 1 Coronation Gardens. The scam was identified by police and the offenders arrested.

On 5 July 2012, a warrant was executed at a house Walmersley Road, Bury - the home address of the Afzal family and the hub of this scam - and £5,106.97 cash was recovered. Oldham magistrates later ordered its forfeiture.

PC Vaughan Sherrah-Davies, based at Road Crime Unit said: "The desire to escape driving convictions by motorists helped this organised crime groups criminal enterprise.

"Without their willingness to cheat the system, they wouldn't have been able to profit from this scam.

"I would urge people who are tempted to become involved in these scams to think again. Is it worth getting a criminal record for life, going to prison for perverting the course of justice, for a £60 fine and 3 points or even in some of these cases a speed awareness course?"

The below were found guilty following a trial. 

Kamran Afzal, born 26/6/83, of Walmersley Road, Bury, and Shehla Javed, born 27/5/82, of Norden Road, Heywood were convicted of perverting the course of justice offences. Javed was sentenced to four months imprisonment. Afzal will be sentenced on 16 September 2013.

The following pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and were today sentenced.

Imran Afzal, born 29/10/81, of Walmersley Road, Bury, was jailed for four months, Yahsar Khan, born 17/9/81, of Silverdale Close, Bury was jailed for two years and Mohammed Saleem, born 4/8/82, of Spring Bank Lane, Rochdale, were today sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.

The below defendants used the scam and were sentenced at an earlier date.

Fahad Javed, born 10/12/83, of Bittern Close, Bamford , Rochdale, was jailed for six months and Jahangir Iqbal, 12/12/76, of Clara Street, Rochdale, were sentenced to eight months imprisonment.

The below users of the scam pleaded guilty at earlier hearings and were sentenced as follows

Matthew Paul Barton, born 25/11/82, of South Park Drive Poynton, was imprisoned for 10 weeks fined £580.

Thomas Christopher Barton, born 10/8/54, of Bramhall Moor Lane, Hazel Grove, was imprisoned for 10 weeks, fined £580.

Dale Gowers, born 5/6/81, of Lyndhurst Avenue Chadderton was sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and ordered to carry out unpaid work for 200 hours, fined £500.

Mohammed Ali, born 12/10/71, of Craig Road Stockport was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, disqualified for 6 months.

Saardar Mohyuddin, born 2/8/68, of Springbridge Road Whalley Range , was sentenced to a community order for 12 months to carry out 40 hours unpaid work and fined £540

Adam Marsden, born 12/8/84, of Juniper Drive, Firgrove, Rochdale, was sentenced for submitting a false written statement to two months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 240 hours unpaid work and fined £85.

Amjid Mahmood, born 7/5/78, of Whiteacre Road Ashton was sentenced to four months imprisonment.

Anjam Akhtar, born 1/7/88, of Heywood Street, Bury, was sentenced to a community order to carry out 100 hours unpaid work.

Mohammed Qasim Ali, born 16/6/80, of Heron Street, Oldham, was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment.

Peter Burford, born 14/5/79, of Chestnut Street, Chadderton, was sentenced for a false written statement to two months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, required to do unpaid work £85 fine.

Tariq Mahmood, born 28/12/70, of Kellett Street, Rochdale, was sentenced to two months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months unpaid work.

Talat Quresh, born 3/11/85, of Chevron Close, Rochdale, was sentenced for false written statement to eight weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 month,s fined £85 and required to do unpaid work.