A WOMAN tried to frame her innocent sister to avoid a driving ban after being caught behind the wheel without insurance.

Mother-of-two Laura White lied to the police when she was stopped for driving without insurance on Castle Street in Abertillery on March 29.

Prosecutor Jason Howells told Newport Crown Court: “The defendant gave her sister’s name and date of birth to an officer at the roadside.”

White was facing a totting up driving ban because she already had six penalty points on her licence from 2020.

That was for failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a vehicle who was alleged to have been guilty of an offence.

The defendant’s sister was “shocked” when she got a notice of intended letter prosecution through the post when she hadn’t been driving the vehicle.

She went to “confront” White who continued to lie when she denied having anything to do with the matter.

The defendant eventually held up her hands when she was interviewed by the police about it five weeks later in May.

“There was some distress caused to an innocent party,” Mr Howells said. “And, of course, there was some impact on the administration of justice.”

Single mum White, aged 35, of Elgam Avenue, Blaenavon pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice and driving without insurance.

She has a previous conviction for driving without insurance dating back to 2014.

Alice Sykes, mitigating, said the more serious offence of intending to pervert the course of justice had been an “unsophisticated” effort by her client.

“She made admissions in her voluntary interview and has shown remorse,” she added.

Judge Carl Harrison told White: “Giving a false account to an investigator undermines the criminal justice system and impedes its function.

“In this case not only did you do that but you also cast the blame on to an innocent third party.”

The defendant was jailed for 21 weeks but the sentence was suspended for 12 months.

White was ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work, banned from driving for six months and pay £517 in a fine and surcharge.

Before she left the dock, Judge Harrison said to her: “I hope we don’t see you again in this building.”