Kirklees councillor Fazila Loonat jailed for trying to avoid speeding penalty

Fazila Loonat and Afshin Amini were given jail terms of 14 and 12 weeks. Credit: Kirklees Council

A councillor and her partner have been jailed for attempting to pervert the course of justice by trying to avoid a speeding penalty.

Fazila Loonat, 43, a councillor for Batley East on Kirklees Council, and Afshin Amini, 34, gave officers false details after their Mercedes C220 car triggered a mobile speed camera on Huddersfield Road in Dewsbury in July 2020.

Bradford Crown Court heard how the pair claimed the car was taken for a test drive by a person later found not to exist.

The address provided for the non-existent driver was a mini-mart which later turned out to belong to the couple.

After initially standing by their claim, both pleaded guilty to the perverting the course of justice.

Fazila Loonat and Afshin Amini of Church Walk, Batley, were given sentences of 14 weeks and 12 weeks in prison respectively.

Rachel Wainwright of West Yorkshire Police’s Casualty Prevention Unit, said: "In this case both the defendants made false statements and then made a number of efforts to substantiate the deception."

Having been in office for over seven years, ITV Calendar News understands that Loonat faces automatic disqualification from her council role should she not lodge an appeal in the next 29 days.

A Kirklees Council spokesperson said: “Given the right of appeal, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

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