A policeman’s career was in ruins last night after he was jailed for 26 weeks for providing false information about an M62 speeding allegation.

Gareth Bentley, a police constable from Liversedge who serves in the West Yorkshire Force was convicted by a jury earlier this year after a trial on two charges of doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice.

Sentencing him at Leeds Crown Court yesterday, Judge Paula Tyler said there had to be an immediate jail sentence because it was his job as a police officer to uphold the law. “The public must be able to have confidence in the police.”

The case involved a blue Peugeot car which was caught on a speed camera on June 26, 2012 between junction 27 and 28 eastbound doing 67mph in a 50 mph limit. There had also been an earlier activation of a speed camera on April 7 apparently by the same vehicle.

A notice of intended prosecution was sent to Bentley’s partner who was the registered keeper of such a vehicle requiring her to identify the driver and a later reminder was sent to her without response.

Michael Slater prosecuting said Bentley then contacted the processing department of the casualty reduction section in November saying neither he nor his partner had been driving the car on either date.

He indicated in e-mails that the number plates of the car had been stolen on an earlier occasion when they were parked in Leeds and they believed somebody else was using them.

The earlier offence was by then statute barred meaning it was too late to continue with it but he was asked to provide photographs of their car to compare with the offending vehicle in June.

That was done and the vehicle did not have a distinctive flower shape tax disc or a child seat seen in the offending vehicle but when he was arrested over the offences, officers found both. His partner was cleared by the jury of any offences.

Mark Kelly representing Bentley said the number plates of his vehicle had been stolen and he still maintained he had done nothing wrong.

He had been a police officer since 2006 and was highly regarded by his colleagues. He was suffering depression and a prison sentence would be extremely difficult for him as well as his extended family who relied on him for help.

Sentencing Bentley, 40 of Barker Street, Liversedge, Judge Tyrer said she had read 14 references from family and friends and they indicated his willingness to do anything for other people.

“I suspect your willingness to do anything for anybody is what has landed you in the position you are in today from good intentions rather than malicious or malign intentions.”

She said she also appreciated the police force was a career he had always wanted but by sending the photos omitting the distinctive features of the car it was to “avoid prosecution for speeding of the driver of that vehicle, whoever it was.”

After the case Det Supt Oz Khan said: “West Yorkshire Police and the public expect only the highest standards from all police officers and staff. Criminal behaviour or conduct which falls below this standard will not be tolerated. The Force’s Professional Standards Department conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of Bentley and we welcome the sentence which has been passed down on him today”.

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