Porsche-driving Dartford businessman caught doing almost 150mph on M25 (From This Is Local London)

Porsche-driving Dartford businessman caught doing almost 150mph on M25

9:56am Monday 21st January 2013 in News By Sam Christie

A DARTFORD car dealer clocked speeding at 146mph in his Porsche 911, then lied to police, has been banned from driving for three months.

Sheriff Moftah, of Old Yews, Longfield, was caught travelling at more than double the speed limit on the M25 between Dartford and Swanley.

The 26-year-old falsely reported his personalised number plates – S15 MOF – had been stolen in Swanley and wrongly claimed he was the passenger in the car clocked doing 146.5mph.

Moftah, who runs Keyline Cars Ltd with a turnover of around £1 million a year, falsely declared Kwarme Frimpong from France had taken it for a test drive.

Appearing at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday (Jan 18), Moftah pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and speeding.

Simon Butler, mitigating, said: "He panicked and took the wrong advice from friends.

"He was embarrassed; he felt he was going to lose his business which he put so much time in since he graduated."

The sports car had been caught by the speed camera between junction two and three of the M25 shortly after 12.20am on July 5 last year.

Martin Yale, prosecuting, told the court: "The following morning, perhaps suspecting he was caught, Mr Moftah telephoned Kent Police to report his number plates had been stolen from an address in Swanley."

He then filled in a police form to say Mr Frimpong was driving the speeding Porcshe.

But two months later Moftah, who set up his East Hill-based company after graduating from university, contacted police to confess his crime.

"He did not want to dig a deeper hole and was ready to face the consequences," said Mr Yale.

Sheriff’s dad Farid, an orthopaedic surgeon and clinical director at Darent Valley Hospital, explained the impact on the Moftah family.

"He’s always been very hardworking, responsible and honest. He’s never caused us problems apart from in this instant," he told the court.

"He’s suffered a lot. He’s not been sleeping, he’s remorseful and also realises the distress it has caused to the family."

Sentencing Moftah, Judge Philip St John-Stevens said: "I am told of misguided foolishness but doesn't in any way underestimate what you've done."

Moftah, who lives at home with his parents, was sentenced to 28 days in prison suspended for 12 months and disqualified from driving for three months.

He was also ordered to pay a £2,000 fine and costs of £200.