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Man made up carjacking lie 'to keep wife quiet'
A husband told police he had been carjacked and forced to drive 25 miles by robbers – so he wouldn't get in trouble with his wife.
A court heard Peter Woodward went into a police station and told officers he had been carjacked and made to drive to Merseyside.
But the 57-year-old, from Barn Croft, Moss Side, Leyland, had lied so he could go for a drive "without answering to her," magistrates were told.
Woodward, a part-time cleaner, pleaded guilty to falsely reporting an offence to police and was ordered to pay 1,000 compensation.
His wife, Janet, was at court to support her husband but did not attend the hearing at his solicitor's request.
South Ribble Magistrates' Court heard how Woodward told police he had been parked on Hough Lane at 9am on April 2 when three men got into his car.
Prosecutor Sandra Arden said Woodward claimed they threatened to stab him unless he drove them to Walton.
In his interview at Leyland, Det Con Kelly Rosenthal was told his wife, Janet, 'got at him.'
The prosecutor added: "He wanted to go for a ride without answering to her.
"He went for a drive to Liverpool and thought up the kidnapping story to account for his movements."
Police spent 185 hours investigating at a cost of 5,010.
Woodward later admitted he had visited a bookmaker's and had a large amount of cash despite claiming he was robbed.
He was arrested on May 6 and made a "full and frank admission," she added.
John Roberts, representing Woodward, said he was in a serious road collision three years ago which left him with head injuries which his family said "changed him."
He added: "He knows that when he goes into the police station it's not true. He did this to support his story and give him some peace and quiet from his wife."
Referring to the impact of his actions on police, he added: "His insight into the affect of what that would create is somewhat limited."
Woodward has suffered from problems since the accident and was forced to give up his job to become a part-time cleaner.
Woodward spoke only to confirm his name and address and enter his plea and sat quietly in the dock thoroughout the hour-long hearing.
Outside court, Woodward refused to comment.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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