A driver who installed a laser jamming device in his work van to avoid speeding tickets has been spared jail but ordered to pay £3000.
Jason Moore was found guilty in perverting the course justice after fitting a Laser Star jamming system to a VW Transporter van.
A jury at Swansea Crown Court heard a laser speed camera operator couldn’t tell the speed of the vehicle as it raced along the A40 in St Clears, Carmarthenshire, at 12mph over the speed limit.
James Hartson, the prosecutor, stated to the court that the van was driven at high speed near Camarthen in September 2018.
An error message appeared when the camera operator tried measuring the vehicle’s velocity. Road Safety Support experts had taught the operator how to interpret the message and a specialist was hired.
Jason Moore was found guilty in perverting the course justice after he fitted a Laser Star jamming system to a VW Transporter van.
Police took the van and investigated the situation. They found that the van was traveling at 72 mph in a 60 mph zone.
Steve Callaghan, Dyfed-Powys Police’s forensic video analyst and laser jammer expert, confirmed that there was a suspect device visible in the video images.
He also saw the laser jammer flashing from the grille as the error messages were being produced by laser speedmeter.
Police pulled over the van to investigate and discovered that it was traveling at 72 mph in a 60 mph zone.
Moore claimed that he didn’t know the Laser Star jamming device could block the speed measurement function on a police speedmeter. He claimed that he bought the device for its parking sensor function.
Mr Moore hired David Winstanley as an expert witness. He claimed to have sufficient knowledge in laser and video systems.
Mr Winstanley claimed that the Laser Star was sold as an ‘parking sensor’, and should not be regarded as a laser jamming device.
Andy Cox, chief detective superintendent at Lincolnshire Police, tweeted: “Great work in helping expose this criminality.”
A jury at Swansea Crown Court heard that a laser speed camera operator couldn’t determine the speed of the car while it raced along the A40, St Clears, Carmarthenshire.
Mr Callaghan responded that the use a laser beam for parking obstruction detection was totally inappropriate and largely unsuitable.
He explained that a parking sensor does not need to be programmed to jam a laser speedmeter. Laser Star also lists speed cameras it can jam in its marketing and instructions.
Mr Moore also claimed in his defense that the security firm he worked for required employees to pay for any damage to work vehicles. Moore claimed that he installed the device to reduce the chance of damage.
Moore was found guilty and sentenced by a jury at Swansea Crown Court in October 2021.
Judge Vosper QC called Moore’s explanations “spurious” and stated that he was not surprised by the jury’s rejection of his defense.
Moore was sentenced for 32 weeks in custody, with a two-year suspension. He was also ordered to pay costs and fines totalling £3,000 and a curfew was imposed for two months.
Andy Cox, chief detective superintendent at Lincolnshire Police, tweeted: “Great work in helping expose this criminality. I hope it serves as deterrence for others trying to hide road crimes. I also hope for a shift in driving culture that recognizes the danger speeding poses to all road users.