A PROTECTIVE father lied to the police about who was behind the wheel when his pregnant daughter reversed his van into a parked car and then drove off.
Keith Nelson, 51, of Fareham Avenue in Rugby, was jailed for four months after pleading guilty at Warwick Crown Court to perverting the course of justice.
A Judge told him lying to police was a very serious offence.
The court heard in June Nelson’s daughter Rebecca was driving his van when she hit a car parked opposite her grandfather’s house on Banbury Road.
She stopped briefly before driving off, and after calling at the house and finding no-one home the owner of the car reported the incident to police.
Later Mr Nelson and his dad made separate visits to the car owner and admitted she was driving and offered to pay for the damage, but because the police had already become involved Nelson was sent a notice of prosecution and on it he identified himself as the driver.
Police interviewed him as that was at odds with the statements of witnesses who said a female was driving however he continued to claim he was.
Prosecutor Mark Phillips said it was not clear whether Nelson’s daughter would have been insured and when she was arrested the day before her father in relation to failing to stop after an accident she denied being the driver
“There are no proceedings against the daughter. She was never charged with perverting the course of justice and I’m not aware she was ever charged with any offence,” added Mr Phillips.
David Everett, defending, said the offence was totally out of character for Nelson, who was a ground worker in the building industry.
“If his daughter had stayed, there would probably have been no proceedings at all. My client’s insurance paid for the damage. But she was eight months pregnant and she panicked, and this is a case of a father coming to the rescue of his daughter in a foolish fashion,” he added.
Judge Sylvia de Bertodano told Nelson he had to go to prison.
“What you got yourself involved in was a very serious offence because if people lie to the police about what happened it undermines our system of justice.
“It is always very sad to see a man of your age and history in the crown court facing such a serious matter. But the rule is that a message must go out that if people tell lies to the police they must go to prison except in the most exceptional cases.”
