by Andy Gray

A car dealer named Sheriff thought he was above the law when he drove at 146mph in a Porsche 911.

For after speeding on July 5 last year, Sheriff Moftah phoned police in a panic the next day claiming the car's number plates had been stolen.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Moftah, who runs Keyline Cars in East Hill, Dartford, pleaded guilty to speeding and intending to pervert the course of justice.

The 26-year-old was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court earlier today.

The court heard how speed cameras clocked Moftah driving the sports car (similar to the one pictured) at the breakneck speed along the M25 in the early hours of July 5 last year.

The following morning, fearing he had been caught, he telephoned police claiming the car's number plates had been stolen overnight from an address in Swanley.

He also later claimed he had been a passenger in the car while it was being taken for a test drive.

ANPR checks revealed the number plates had not been stolen and on September 9 Moftah admitted he had lied.

Prosecutor Martin Yale, said Moftah, who lives with his parents in Longfield, contacted police himself to own up to the offence.

"He wanted to take the consequences rather than waste any more police time," Mr Yale said.

Simon Butler, defending, said Moftah's business had an annual turnover of £1m a year.

He had "panicked" and been "embarrassed" to initially own up to speeding.

"He had taken the wrong advice from friends," Mr Butler said.

The court heard Moftah, whose father is an orthopaedics surgeon at Darent Valley Hospital, was of previous good character and had no driving convictions.

Judge Philip St John-Stevens called the attempt to pervert the course of justice "pernicious".

He said he accepted the offence was committed out of "panic and fear."

"It was an act of misguided foolishness but doesn't in any way underestimate what you've done."

Moftah was sentenced to 28 days' prison suspended for 12 months.

He was fined £2,000, disqualified from driving for three months and ordered to pay £200 costs.