Safer roads workers jailed for collective sentence of more than five years

A man and woman have been jailed after admitting to conspiring to dispose of speeding offences in Staffordshire.

Samantha Halden-Evans, 36, from Cheadle, who worked for the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership, was sentenced to four years and two months in prison today (Thursday 21 December).

She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office and two counts of conspiring to pervert the course of justice following a trial at Stafford Crown Court on 27 October.

Jonathan Hill, 47, from Newcastle, who also worked for the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office in January 2023.

Wayne Riley, 41, also from Cheadle, was sentenced to two years and eight months after he pleaded guilty to conspiring to pervert the course of justice ahead of the trial on 25 October 2023.

Nikki Baker, 35, from Werrington, was sentenced to ten months after she pleaded guilty to conspiring to pervert the course of justice ahead of the trial on 26 October 2023.

Deputy Chief Constable Jon Roy said: “The vast majority of our officers and staff conduct themselves professionally and work tirelessly to protect the public.

“We expect the highest levels of honesty and integrity from all of our officers and staff and anyone who falls below these standards will be held to account."

Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams is Co-Chair of the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership. He said: “It is absolutely vital that the public can have confidence in everyone engaged in Police activity, and in the activity of the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership.

“Keeping our roads safe for the communities of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent is too important to be undermined by the actions of a few individuals.

“Whether those individuals are officers or staff makes no difference. Everyone within the organisation should be held to the very highest standards, and I welcome today’s outcome.”