A WOMAN has been handed a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay a hefty fine for having a laser jammer device fixed to her BMW while driving through a Ryedale village.

Appearing at Teesside Crown Court on Friday, Debra Anne Brown, 56, of Front Street, Appleton Wiske, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and given a nine-month prison sentence - suspended for 18 months - as well as being ordered to pay £2000 in costs.

The court heard how on the morning of the November 10 2017, Brown was driving her BMW 135i along the A170 near Nawton, between Helmsley and Kirbymoorside, when a safety camera van from North Yorkshire Police's Traffic Bureau attempted to measure the speed of her vehicle.

Believing that she was travelling in excess of the speed limit, the safety camera van made four successive attempts to capture the speed of Brown’s BMW.

However, due to interference being received from the vehicle – the safety camera was unable to determine her speed.

North Yorkshire Police launched an investigation led by traffic constable Andrew Forth. Brown’s vehicle was seized and examined, and was found to have been fitted with a Laser Pro Park device, which was connected to a 'Speed Cheetah'. When questioned about the device, Brown stated it had been fitted to the vehicle to assist her when parking.

Following a two-day hearing, a jury found her guilty of perverting the course of justice and using the jammer to avoid prosecution.

When sentencing Brown, Judge Bourne-Arton, the recorder of Middlesbrough, commented that her act made the whole justice system break down.

Speaking about the investigation and result at court, traffic constable Andrew Forth said: “This is the seventh person to be successfully prosecuted in North Yorkshire for using a laser jammer device in an attempt to lift themselves above the law and protect themselves from a potential speeding prosecution.

“Using this equipment in this way puts other innocent, law abiding road users at risk by people believing that they can travel at speed with complete immunity from prosecution.

“As the result today shows, this will not be tolerated and myself and my colleagues at the North Yorkshire Police Traffic Bureau will ensure offenders are investigated and brought to justice.

“My advice to those who have these devices fitted to their vehicles, who think they are untouchable, is - remove it. Today’s court result shows; if you are found to be using the device to pervert the course of justice, you face a criminal record and a very large fine.”