By Emily Caulkett-
West Yorkshire Police officer and his wife, a former West Yorkshire Police staff member, have been warned by a judge to expect to go to prison for perverting the course of justice.
The court heard the pair falsely told police Mrs Hinchliffe was driving the car when it was caught speeding
The offences were committed in July and August 2021 and relate to two speeding offences from 30 April and 1 June 2021.
Judge Rose agreed to grant the couple bail until a sentence hearing on 25 January on the understanding that when they came back it would be with an expectation that they would receive immediate sentences of imprisonment.
“The authorities on perverting the course of justice are very clear about the gravity of such offences and the likely consequences for all offenders and not least those whose duty it is to uphold the law,” he told the defendants.
PC Hinchliffe has been suspended by the force while Mrs Hinchliffe has resigned from her job with West Yorkshire Police.
PC Mark Hinchcliffe, 43, and Lisa Hinchcliffe, 38, who live at an address in the Bradford postcode area, today pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court to two offences.
They admitted doing an act tending or intended to pervert the course of public justice on or about July 20, 2021, by falsely declaring to West Yorkshire Police that on April 30, 2021, Lisa Hinchcliffe was driving a car that was speeding.
Both also pleaded guilty to a similar offence on August 11, 2021, when Lisa Hinchcliffe said she was driving a car that was speeding on June 1 that year.
The court heard that neither had any previous convictions and they were the parents of two children.
Judge Jonathan Rose adjourned the case until January 25 for probation reports to be prepared.
He warned the defendants that each had pleaded guilty to exceptionally serious offences and must understand that prison sentences were expected, not least when the offences were committed by those whose duty it is to uphold the law.
Judge Rose granted each of them bail but said they must expect to go to prison immediately.
In a statement issued earlier this month, West Yorkshire Police said the Hinchcliffes had been jointly charged in connection with perverting the course of justice in relation to speeding offences and that the alleged offences were committed while off-duty.
PC Hinchcliffe, who works in Leeds district, had been suspended from duty. Lisa Hinchcliffe was a police staff member at the time of the alleged offences but had since resigned from the Force.