A waiter has been fined after he gave police false details and then showed them someone else’s driving licence.
Naimul Islam was pulled over on the A9 at Dornoch Bridge, but told police his name was Sharif Ahmed.
He showed them a picture of a driving licence in that name on his telephone – raising officers’ suspicions when the picture did not look like him.
Islam, 28, appeared at Tain Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to the incident on September 17 last year.
Fiscal depute Martina Eastwood told Sheriff Neil Wilson that it was 11.15pm when police officers had reason to pull over the vehicle that Islam was driving.
She said: “They obtained his nominal details – his name – and he provided this as Sharif Ahmed, born 23 April 97 in Bangladesh.”
Ms Eastwood said Islam then showed the officers a photograph of a driving licence.
Driving licence photo ‘did not match’
“The photograph did not match – raising suspicion,” the fiscal depute explained.
Islam was asked to provide his place of birth and said both “Cardiff” and “Bangladesh” but neither of these matched the information associated with the licence provided.
Officers then accessed the updated licence image for Sharif Ahmed and confirmed that Islam was not the man pictured.
His true identity was established and officers discovered he did not hold a UK driving licence.
A9 driver ‘panicked’ when pulled over
Solicitor Rory Gowans, for Islam, told the court his client’s actions had been as the result of panic at being pulled over.
He said: “He was pulled over by the police, he panicked and he led them a merry dance. It didn’t take him very far at all, it only brought him into this courtroom.”
Mr Gowans confirmed that his client does hold an international driving permit, but had thought it would be a good idea to provide the details of a UK licence holder.
He could not explain why Islam had a photograph of another man’s licence on his telephone – saying only that Islam had explained the pair had previously had a joint insurance policy.
He said: “He apologises for his conduct – he panicked.”
Sheriff Wilson fined Islam, of Simson Crescent, Helmsdale, £320.