Speeding motorist who faked CCTV to dodge ticket caught out by wrong shadows

A motorist who faked CCTV footage of his car to avoid a speeding rap was caught out because the length of the shadows was wrong, a court heard. Roger Moore filmed his own vehicle on his driveway months after his garage courtesy car was snapped by a safety camera, Plymouth Crown Court was told. The 44-year-old, from Plymstock, Devon, claimed he could not have been driving the courtesy car because he had already picked up his own Mitsubishi Pajero – and here it was parked outside his home at the time of he offence.

But sharp-eyed police officers spotted the length of the shadows did not match with the time of the year. And experts confirmed the footage could not have been filmed in February and it must have been filmed in late spring or early summer. Moore, of Stentaway Road, admitted acting with intent to pervert the course of justice between July last year and this January. Judge Paul Darlow adjourned sentence until January 11 next year. David Gittins, for the Crown Prosecution Service, had earlier told the court that the courtesy car, a Peugeot, was caught by a speed camera on Billacombe Road, Plymstock, at about noon on February 22 last year.



He added a nearby garage recorded that four minutes later Moore returned the Peugeot and picked up his own vehicle. Mr Gittins said Moore then told police he had returned the car earlier and the garage had maliciously changed the time on their computer because he had made a complaint. He added Moore claimed someone from the garage must have been at the wheel. The court heard that Moore was prosecuted but five months later produced a DVD from his own home CCTV showing his Pajero on his drive, timed and dated for the offence.

"It was then investigated and found it was a fake," Mr Gittins said. "[A PC] made further investigations because the shadows were all wrong for that time of year." Ali Rafati, for Moore, said an expert had shown the footage must have been shot in late spring or early summer, rather than February. He added he was the delivery driver and the sole breadwinner for his family, including three children. Moore was due to go on trial next Wednesday but changed his plea. He was released on unconditional bail for a probation officer to prepare a report into his background.