A Wolverhampton man endured significant distress and fear after a total stranger used his address during a traffic stop, prompting concerns of a potential police raid on his home, a court heard.
The man, who was not involved in the incident, testified at Wolverhampton Crown Court about the “huge distress” he and his family suffered due to false information provided by 60-year-old Adam Rybicki. On August 7, 2024, Rybicki gave West Midlands Police the name “Christian Benner” along with the man’s address on Beach Avenue after being stopped in Birmingham.
Rybicki was stopped on Holyhead Road for using a mobile phone while driving and not wearing a seatbelt, according to Crown prosecutor Robert Cowley. Following the stop, police sent correspondence to the Beach Avenue address regarding the alleged offense. The homeowner returned the form, denying he was the driver on the specified date.
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West Midlands Police employed artificial intelligence to analyze body-worn camera footage, which indicated a high probability that the suspect was Rybicki. A wanted notice was then issued for his arrest. Rybicki was apprehended months later, on November 20, after being stopped in Birmingham again. He was driving a Vauxhall Astra and initially gave officers another false name—“Marek Rudnicki.”
Officers used a fingerprint scanner before taking him into custody, where he continued to provide a fake address. During police interview, Rybicki initially refused to answer questions but later admitted to two counts of perverting the course of justice, as well as driving without a valid license or insurance.
Before sentencing on June 12, the victim from Beach Avenue described receiving multiple pieces of correspondence involving the false identity “Christian Benner” and others. This ongoing confusion caused significant stress, health decline, and fear for his family’s safety. The homeowner feared police might raid his property searching for the fictitious individual.
Ultimately, Rybicki was sentenced to 20 months in prison for the two counts of perverting the course of justice, receiving jail time for each count back-to-back. He also received nine penalty points total—six for driving without a valid license and three for driving without insurance. The court credited him one-third for his early guilty pleas.