Sheffield cannabis smoking motorist who gave false name to police is narrowly spared from jail

Adnan Ali, aged 20, of Greasbro Road, Tinsley, Sheffield, had been smoking in a parked vehicle near his home and falsely gave his brother’s name as his own before he tested over the limit for being in charge of a vehicle with cannabis in his system, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing.

Neil Coxon, prosecuting, told the hearing on January 12 that police approached the vehicle just before midnight on August 5, 2021, when Ali falsely identified himself as his brother. Mr Coxon added that because of the smell of cannabis Ali was tested and found to be over the limit for being in charge of a vehicle with cannabis in his system.

Legal proceedings began under the name of Ali’s brother including a postal requisition asking his innocent brother to attend Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on February 18, according to Mr Coxon, but Ali handed himself into police and admitted he had given false details.

Mr Coxon said: “He said all of this happened in the heat of the moment and he was intoxicated and he wanted to be away from family and friends for what he described as a ‘stress free time’.

“He confirmed it was his brother’s vehicle and he accepted he had no insurance and his licence had been revoked and he was effectively a provisional licence holder.”

Ali told police he had got into his brother’s car to smoke cannabis and he had given false details because his driving licence had been revoked in April, 2021, and he had six points on his licence for using a vehicle without insurance and if he received further points he would face disqualification.

The defendant also told officers that he handed himself in after seeking the advice of a solicitor and he added that his brother had no knowledge of what had happened.

Ali, who had no previous convictions before this case, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

Recorder Richard Thyne KC sentenced Ali to 16 weeks of custody suspended for 12 months with 120 hours of unpaid work and a 12-week curfew. Ali was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.