A WOMAN who was disqualified from driving lied to police and gave her best friend’s name after a crash.
Charlotte Evans, 30, of Tonyrefail, Wales, bought a Vauxhall Corsa on April 3, 2021, and insured the vehicle under the name of Chloe Cavell, who she had been friends with for 21 years.
Charlotte Evans, 30, of Tonyrefail, lied to police and gave the name of her best friend after causing a collision
Evans had been convicted of drink driving and had been disqualified from driving.
A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday heard Evans did not seek Ms Cavell’s permission to insure her car in her name.
Ms Cavell was unaware Evans had used her name, and
was confused as to how she had obtained insurance due to her disqualification.
On April 9, 2021, Evans was involved in a collision in Arthur Street, Tonypandy, when she collided with a parked stationary car.
When police attended the scene, they described the defendant’s speech as “slurred”, her behaviour was erratic and she smelt of intoxicants.
When asked to provide her details, Evans gave her name as Chloe Cavell and provided her friend’s date of birth.
She was taken to Merthyr Tydfil police station and underwent a breathalyser test, measuring a reading of 32 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, below the drink drive limit.
She continued to use the false name, and was released by police.
Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said Ms Cavell was in work when she learnt about the collision on social media and that her name had been mentioned at the scene.
She contacted the police to notify them she was not the driver of the vehicle, and visited Evans the next day to confront her.
The defendant told her friend she had done it because she was due to appear in the family courts and didn’t want it to affect her case
When asked if she took insurance out in her name, Evans said “One thing led to another”.
Evans, of Marshfield Court, attended Porth police station on June 29, 2021 and said she was due to get a non molestation order out against her ex partner on the day of the collision, she was anxious and had a drink.
She said she became “frustrated and panicked” which caused her to give the false details to police, but she claimed she and Ms Cavell had taken out insurance together.
Mr Gobir said this was denied by the prosecution. He said this has caused Ms Cavell stress having received debt letters and phone calls from insurance companies in relation to the collision.
The defendant later pleaded guilty to two counts of perverting the course of justice.
The court heard she had previous convictions for battery, driving with excess alcohol, and ill treatment of a child, for which she received a conditional discharge.
In mitigation, Andrew Kendal said his client’s circumstances were “exceptional” and there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
The barrister said the defendant was in £7,000 worth of debt and only received £700 a month.
Sentencing, Recorder Mark Powell KC said: “You have caused (the victim) considerable distress and impairment by police coming to speak to her.”
He sentenced Evans to six months imprisonment suspended for 18 months, and ordered her to carry out a 20 day rehabilitation activity requirement and to pay costs of £250.
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