A driver who gave the wrong name to police – resulting in magistrates issuing a warrant for an innocent man – turned up late to probation appointments, a court heard.

Oxford man Kevin Kiarie, 27, was spared an immediate prison sentence earlier this year for perverting the course of justice.

He’d given another man’s name when police caught up with him after a short police chase down Drakes Way, Swindon, in October 2019. Kiarie had crashed his VW Golf into an Audi as he reversed at speed in an attempt to get away from the police.

Judge Peter Crabtree gave the driver, who had previous for giving false details to police, six months’ in jail suspended for a year-and-a-half. He was ordered to do 60 hours of unpaid work, the thinking skills programme and 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

At Oxford Crown Court earlier this week, Kiarie, of Bassett Road, Oxford, admitted breaching the suspended sentence order by turning up late to a probation appointment in August.

Lucy Ffrench, mitigating, said her client’s mother-in-law had been very unwell that month, placing a strain on Kiarie and his partner’s relationship and requiring him to look after their young child at short notice. He had completed the unpaid work.

Judge Nigel Daly fined him £50 for the breach but allowed the order to continue.

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