Duo conspired to dupe police after Stoke by Nayland speeding

Karl Wymer was clocked driving a Range Rover at 47mph in a 30mph limit in Park Road, Stoke by Nayland, but agreed with friend Zac Langford that he would take the blame.

Wymer, 47, feared he was about to be handed six points on his driving licence for a previous offence and any penalty acquired following this speeding would result in him being banned from the roads.

Ipswich Crown Court heard how Wymer, of Monks Lane, Dedham, relied on his car to pick up medication for his mother who lives with Alzheimer’s Disease, and couldn’t afford to lose his job or ability to drive.

But after cell site evidence proved to the police Wymer was in fact the driver of the car, not Langford, during the crime on August 7, 2021, he was arrested and temporarily banned from driving.

Scene - Park Road, Stoke by Nayland

Simon Gladwell, mitigating, explained his client’s mother tragically committed suicide after a police investigation was launched as she feared she would be moved from their home if he went to prison.

However, in a cruel twist of fate, the court heard Wymer would not have been banned from driving as he received only five points – not the six anticipated – for his previous offence.

Craig Marchant, for Langford, said the 46-year-old made the decision to help his friend of more than 30 years out of “loyalty and naivety”, also taking a £500 payment for doing so.

Wymer and Langford admitted conspiring to pervert the course of justice and Wymer also admitted failing to give information relating to the identification of a driver.

They were sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work.

Wymer was also handed six points on his licence and must carry out 35 days of a rehabilitation activity.

Recorder Gabrielle Posner said: “You both know exactly how close you have come, possibly because of the tragic circumstances you find yourself in Mr Wymer, for which I have a great deal of sympathy”.