News / Yorkshire man jailed for lying ‘voraciously’ to police
A MAN who was believed to hiding from Yorkshire police in Shetland has been sent to prison for one year for giving a false name to officers after driving while disqualified.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie suggested at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday that Martin Maughan, of Bowling Back Lane, Bradford, was in Shetland at the time to escape police questioning in England.
The 26 year old previously admitted driving a vehicle while disqualified at Lerwick’s Westerloch Drive on 2 September.
Maughan also pled guilty to obtaining a room worth £130 at Scalloway Hotel on the same day “without paying and intending not to pay thereafter”.
Mackenzie said the man and his partner, 23 year old Kathleen Boswell of the same address, left the hotel room “in a state” before staff contacted the police.
Scalloway residents later became suspicious after Maughan began touting himself for work.
Police traced his vehicle in Lerwick and spotted the groundworker leaving the driver’s seat and entering the passenger side.
The couple then “lied voraciously” about the identity of Maughan, who also claimed Boswell had been driving.
The court previously heard that the couple claimed Maughan was actually his uncle, whose name the vehicle is registered to.
He continued to give the false name at Lerwick Police Station, before admitting his real identity some hours later. “I’m not wanted” was the first thing he said to police after revealing his ploy, the fiscal said.
Mackenzie added that Maughan had no connection to Shetland. It was the crown’s position that he was in the isles because he was a “wanted” man in England, with Yorkshire police keen to speak to him about “serious” matters.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said Maughan, appearing from custody, had been spending time away from his partner in Shetland and was suffering from “stress and depression”.
Become a supporter of Shetland News
He added that his client gave the false name purely to avoid detection for driving while disqualified.
Allan said that Boswell was “caught up” in the deception and went along with the false identity to help her partner.
Sheriff Philip Mann backdated Maughan’s jail sentence to when he first entered custody on 5 September. He was also disqualified from driving for four years.
Boswell was given 60 hours of unpaid work to complete.
Become a supporter of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.
Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.
Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has over 600 supporters who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.
Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -
- Bring you the headlines as they happen;
- Stay editorially independent;
- Give a voice to the community;
- Grow site traffic further;
- Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.
Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.