A POLICE investigation into a dodge to avoid speeding ticket fines has resulted in sentences for the two men who ran it and three of their customes.

A man from Finchampstead was among the customers caught using the scam.

Police said when a person had been caught speeding and sent a letter asking for the driver to be named, they took the paperwork to the men running the dodge, who charged up to �400 for the police to be given false driver details.

Some of the false driver nominations resulted in fictitious people being convicted at magistrates' court, as well as another person who had been falsely nominated as a driver who knew nothing about it until bailiffs knocked on his door demanding �600 of court fines.

Police used handwriting analysis and investigated a number of addresses, identifying more than 100 speeding offences linked to the men.

PC Carl Lewis, from the Fixed Penalty Support Unit, said: "Most excess speed offences result in an offer of a speed awareness course or three penalty points and a �60 fine. If you listen to someone who tells you of 'legal loopholes' and to give them cash and the forms to be 'sorted out', I think you know exactly what you are getting into.

"The sentences handed down for providing police false information often carry a period in custody as well as disqualification from driving. A big risk compared to the penalties for speeding."

At Oxford Crown Court on Friday, two men behind the scam pleaded guilty and were jailed and each barred from driving for six months. Wiqas Ahmed, 42, from Rochdale but formerly of Bradley Road, Slough, pleaded guilty to five counts of perverting the course of justice in January and was sentenced to 21 months in custody for each count, to run concurrently.

Mario Sardo, 45, from Cherry Garden Lane, Littlewick Green, Maidenhead, pleaded guilty to four counts of perverting the course of justice and was sentenced to 12 months for each count, to run concurrently.

In addition, three drivers appeared at the same court on Friday.

Neil Fordham, 43, of Barkham Rise, Finchampstead, was found guilty by a jury to two counts of perverting the course of justice and sentenced to five months in custody for each offence, to run concurrently. He was disqualified from driving for six months.

Janet Terry, 70, from St Luke's Road, Old Windsor, pleaded guilty to one count of perverting the course of justice and was sentenced to four months' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, a three month curfew, and disqualified from driving for three months.

Rebecca Ward, 45, of Cloud Way, Maidenhead pleaded guilty to one count of perverting the course of justice and was sentenced to 15 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and a two month curfew.