A West Midlands driver has been sentenced to 20 months in prison after repeatedly providing false names and addresses to police during traffic stops, causing significant distress to an innocent man.
Adam Rybicki, 60, was first stopped by West Midlands Police on August 7, 2024, on Holyhead Road, Birmingham. Officers pulled him over for using a mobile phone while driving and not wearing a seatbelt. When questioned, Rybicki gave the false name “Christian Benner” and listed a Wolverhampton address on Beach Avenue. However, no Christian Benner lived at that address.
As a result, the rightful occupant of the Beach Avenue home started receiving police correspondence related to the incident. He submitted a form denying involvement, but the stress from the situation deeply affected him and his family. The man reported ongoing anxiety, fearing police might visit his home searching for someone he did not know.
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Following this, police used artificial intelligence to analyze body-worn camera footage, which indicated a high probability that Rybicki was the driver. This led to him being flagged on police systems.
The second incident occurred on November 20, 2024, when Rybicki was stopped again in Birmingham while driving a car whose registered keeper’s details did not match the driver. This time, Rybicki gave another false name, “Marek Rudnicki,” and could not provide identification. Officers called a fingerprint-scanning team, and Rybicki was arrested.
In custody, he again provided a false address and declined to comment during his interview.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court on June 12, Rybicki appeared via video link from HMP Birmingham. Represented by a Polish interpreter, he pleaded guilty early to two counts of perverting the course of justice, driving without insurance, and driving without a valid licence.
Rybicki’s defence counsel emphasized his client’s remorse and difficult prison experience, citing his age and limited English skills. The lawyer noted Rybicki’s consistent work ethic as a self-employed painter and decorator and said accepting responsibility earlier could have avoided prison.
Recorder Michael Duck KC ordered two consecutive jail terms of 10 months each for the perverting the course of justice offences, totaling 20 months. Additionally, Rybicki received six penalty points for driving without a valid licence and three points for driving without insurance.
The judge condemned Rybicki’s disregard for road traffic laws and highlighted the wider consequences of such offences. “It causes enormous costs to prosecute offenders such as yourself,” he said, “and failure to prosecute undermines faith in the system.”