A traffic warden who lied to police about being run over by a motorist he had slapped with a parking ticket has been jailed for intending to pevert the course of justice.
Karl Crompton, 43, fabricated an allegation that he was mowed down by a disgruntled driver after the power of being a traffic warden “went to his head.”
He accused Edward Phipps, 63, of ploughing into him after an angry confrontation outside a pub in Bridgnorth, Shrops, on October 9, 2011.
Crompton accused Mr Phipps of driving into his knees causing him to roll across the bonnet after he gave him a ticket for parking in a disabled space.
But CCTV obtained from the Jewel of the Severn pub by police proved that no such incident had occurred.
Following a four-day trial last month Crompton was found guilty of intending to pervert the course of justice
And today he was jailed for four months at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
Paul McGreary, group manager of public protection and enforcement at Shropshire Council, said after the case “Clearly the sentence from the courts reflects the seriousness of this case.
“We have an expectation that our civil enforcement officers act with the upmost integrity and honesty.
“As unfortunate as this case was, it does highlight the pressures that civil enforcement officers can be under while they carry out their duties.
“However saying that this was a very unusual situation and we are confident it was an isolated case.
“All officers are fully trained and supported to do their job to the best of their ability.
“Since this incident, we are also looking at the use of video badges which could prove invaluable in cases like this in future as they would provide video footage of any interaction between an officer and the public.”
During the trial Robert Edwards, prosecuting, told the court the traffic warden told police a ‘number of lies’ following the fabricated incident.
Addressing Crompton he said: “Mr Phipps said a few words to you, so as revenge you lied to the police that he ran you over.
“The power of being a traffic warden had gone to your head.
“You told us Mr Phipps verbally abused you before going into the pub, but you never told that to the police.
“You also told police you didn’t roll over the bonnet, when that is quite clearly what you told us.
“You’ve been spinning a tissue of lies just to get one over on Mr Phipps.”
During the trial Crompton claimed must have been hit during a two second gap in the CCTV footage.
He also claimed that photos of a red mark on his leg seen by the jury did not show the true extent of his injuries.
Giving evidence he said: “I don’t think anything showed up because the flash was on.
“But my leg still hurt three weeks later.”
