The director of a company which bought a luxury car an hour before it was caught speeding has been fined £440, after he pretended not to be its registered keeper.

Mohammed Tariq, aged 45, of Chigwell Road, Chigwell, failed to provide information about who was driving the blue Audi A4 when it was photographed speeding in Lambourne Road.

The luxury car was spotted travelling 12mph over the 30mph speed limit just after 7.40pm on August 5, 2015.

When a notice of intended prosecution was sent to Tariq’s house, he responded saying he had never been the car’s registered keeper.

A registered keeper should the person who is using a vehicle.

Tariq also could not say who was behind the wheel.

However, enquiries by the police revealed the car had been sold at auction to Tariq’s car sales company.

It had been collected just over an hour before the speeding offence was committed.

Last Wednesday (May 18), Tariq appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.

He pleaded guilty to failing to give information relating to the identity of the driver of a vehicle when required to do so.

He was fined £440, received six points on his driving licence, was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £44 and £85 costs.