Rushden woman made up burglary after letting banned driver use car

A Rushden woman lied to police that she had been burgled after letting a banned driver use a car she had hired.

Just after police spotted disqualified Daniel Annison driving the vehicle Rebecca Georghiou, 41, told officers it had been stolen from her home in an attempted cover-up.

But her bid to throw them off the scent hit a stumbling block when data from an onboard computer, examined when the vehicle was recovered, showed it had never even been in Rushden - let alone at her address.

Yesterday (Tuesday) Georghiou, of Broadlands Close, was spared from prison after admitting perverting the course of justice.

Northampton Crown Court heard the retail worker went to Europcar's Wellingborough branch on May 10, 2019, with Annison and asked to hire a car while "laughing and joking".

The 2018-plate Toyota was hired in her name but two days later, at about 2pm, police saw Annison driving it despite him being banned from the roads.

The car was seen at a petrol station after leaving Northampton and police waited for him before following the car, but prosecutor Richard Thatcher said the disqualified driver failed to stop and officers called off a chase.

The Toyota was soon found abandoned in Roade - but at about the same time Georghiou called police to say it had been stolen.

The court heard she told officers she had been out the night before but was so drunk when she got home she didn't realise it wasn't there, and that when she woke up the car had gone and the keys had been stolen.

Mr Thatcher said: "She realised that she must have been burgled."

Police launched an investigation but quickly ascertained that her version of events was false after an onboard computer in the hire car was able to examine where it had been.

Mr Thatcher said: "The car was simply never in Rushden, let alone at her address.

"It had clearly been hired for the use of another."

Georghiou was arrested and immediately admitted making the burglary up.

Mitigating, Micaila Williams said Georghiou's main concern was that the vehicle would not be able to go back to Europcar.

She said she had some vulnerabilities but was remorseful and has made progress, turning her life around in recent months.

She added: "She has started taking steps in the right direction."

Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane said: "Such false reports undermine the whole criminal justice system...police time is wasted."

Georghiou was jailed for six months, suspended for 14 months, and must take part in rehabilitation activities.

In December last year Annison, who is aged 28 and from Northampton, was fined £120 for driving whilst disqualified and banned from the roads for six months in relation to his role in the incident.

A charge of failing to stop for police was dropped.

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