A taxi driver who repeatedly broke the speed limit but tried to avoid punishment by giving the police a false name and address has been jailed.

Hari Dhanda, 38, committed four motoring offences between November 2006 and April last year in the Kempston area, Luton Crown Court heard.

On the first occasion the taxi cab he was driving was caught jumping a red light, and on the other three he was breaking the speed limit in a 30mph zone by driving at 38mph.

Each time his employer, Crown Cars in Bedford, told police Dhanda, of Spruce Walk, Kempston, had been the driver.

But when he was contacted he denied it and gave a different name and address for the driver.

Derek Johashen, defending, said Dhanda, a father of three with no previous convictions, had lied because he already had six points on his licence and was worried about losing his job.

He was also having marital problems because he and his wife were in financial difficulties and he was concerned losing his job would cost his marriage.

Dhanda pleaded guilty to four counts of perverting the course of justice on Friday.

Sentencing, Judge Gareth Davies told Dhanda: "It is sad to see a person of your situation before the court. You have pleaded guilty and are of previous good character.

"I accept that you were under pressure from family circumstances but that provides limited mitigation.

"Perverting the course of justice is a serious offence - which merits a custodial sentence - because it undermines our system, and you have done it four times."

He jailed him for three months, concurrent on each count and disqualified him from driving for six months.

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