Man jailed for lying to police about ploughing car into garden wall of Sheffield property

Paul Keyworth crashed his Renault Clio vehicle into the garden wall of a property in Halifax Road, Grenoside on the evening of August 18 last year causing around £1,000 of damage, Sheffield Crown Court heard. 

The 26-year-old fled the scene and made his way on foot to his home in Fulmare Crescent, Parson Cross a short distance away from the scene of the collision. 

'Police found no driver at the scene of the collision, but found the registered keeper was Paul Keyworth, who lived about four minutes away,' explained Michael Tooley, prosecuting. 

He added: 'Officers went to Mr Keyworth's home and found no signs of forced entry for the vehicle or the property, and they later found both sets of car keys. When he gave a statement to police, the defendant said he left the car secured at around 10.30pm that evening, and he went to sleep about 11.30pm.'

Mr Tooley said Keyworth's statement was lost by police, and he was consequently given a '˜second chance' to explain what had happened when a second statement was taken but he reiterated his initial account. 

Keyworth was subsequently charged with criminal damage and perverting the course of justice. 

He finally acknowledged his guilt when he pleaded guilty to the offences at an earlier hearing. 

Defending, Clarkson Baptiste, told the court that since the offending had taken place Keyworth had been made the subject of a community order after he was stopped by police and was found to be driving with excess alcohol and cocaine in his system. 

Mr Baptiste said that when Keyworth was caught drink driving, he was '˜drowning his sorrows' following a personal tragedy '“ but said that he was now motivated to '˜make good of himself' after receiving the news that his girlfriend had fallen pregnant. 

The judge, Recorder Matthew Happold, sentenced Keyworth to four months in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of £100.