A speeding motorist who tried to con his way out of a fine by pretending to be a doctor on an emergency call has been jailed for 12 months.

Fraudster Omid Mohammed Chiang, who had a doctor on call sign, green flashing lights and medical equipment in his car, admitted perverting the course of justice and attempting to obtain property by deception.

The 26-year-old former boarder at Epsom College was caught by a speed camera doing 38 miles and hour in a 30 mile an hour zone in Southampton.

Instead of paying a penalty notice he took the case to court where he escaped disqualification and even went on to claim £1,632.80 costs for locum cover at his imaginary GP practice, Southampton Crown Court heard.

Simon Channon, mitigating, said Chiang, of Brighton Marina Village, suffered from compulsive disorders for lying, gambling and cleanliness.

He said: "The lie was told and repeated for status reasons so that he could feel the respect of his peers.

"It was a lie perpetuated for his own self esteem."

The court was told how the former private school pupil had won a place a medical school to follow in his GP father's footsteps.

However, Chiang discovered he could not stand the sight of blood and went on to study banking and finance before landing a job as a medical sales representative.

Judge John Boggis QC said: "The whole thing was a tissue of lies you were not a doctor; you never have been."