Driver tried to avoid speeding fine by blaming his granny who can't drive and lives in Sierra Leone

A man tried to escape a speeding fine by blaming the offense on his grandmother who lived more than 3,000 miles away, could not drive and had never visited the UK. Dillon Coker, 26, was caught speeding by a camera on the A127 near Laindon in Essex.

Coker, of Dagenham, had been traveling at 51mph in a 40mph zone just after 3am on January 6. After receiving a fixed penalty notice he told police his aging grandmother had been driving the car.

But officers investigating discovered she lived in Sierra Leone, could not drive and had never been to Britain. Coker later admitted he had lied to police and confirmed he had been driving the VW Polo.

He admitted perverting the course of justice when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday. Coker was given a six month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, told to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £500 in costs and victim surcharge.