A man has been jailed after he claimed a man who hadn’t been to the UK since 1995 was behind the wheel of his rented car in a bid to avoid a string of speeding fines.

Luke Jacobson claimed someone else had been driving when he was caught clocking up speeds of more than 100mph on the M25.

On October 7 this year, a grey Volvo V40 rented by the 23-year-old was caught doing 103mph on the motorway in Epping, before it was recorded going 102mph on the same stretch of road on November 4.

The same day, the car was also clocked driving at 43mph in a 30mph zone in Oakwood Hill, Loughton.

Police enquiries determined the car was being rented by Jacobson, of East Barnet Road, Barnet, while the offences had been committed.

However, Jacobson gave the name of someone else he claimed was driving.

But, police discovered the individual Jacobson said was driving had left the UK in 1995 and had not returned since.

He was later charged with four counts of perverting the course of justice but denied the charges.

He was found guilty of all charges at Chelmsford Crown Court on November 15, and, at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday, December 19, was jailed for 16 months and disqualified from driving for two years.

Investigating officer Chris Sydric, from Essex Police’s Casualty Reduction Section, said: “Notices were sent to Luke Jacobson who responded with the name of a man from overseas, stating he had been driving.

“A police investigation revealed the man was a genuine person but had not been in the UK for several years”.