‘Arrogant’ Pilates teacher, 37, who given a suspended sentence for running up £35,000 bill on client’s credit card is jailed for 16 months after trying to dodge two speeding fines
- Rhian Keys, from South Hampstead, London, was caught over the limit speeding
- 37-year-old was on M48 near Bristol in 2019 and on A24 in Surrey later that year
- Bristol Crown Court heard it put her in breach of a 16-month suspended jail term
- The former ballet dancer had earlier been reprimanded for two counts of fraud
A pilates teacher who was spared prison for running up a £35,000 bill on a client’s credit card has been jailed for 16 months for avoiding two speeding tickets.
Rhian Keys, 37, from South Hampstead, London, was caught over the limit on the M48 near Bristol in 2019 and on the A24 in Surrey later that year.
Bristol Crown Court heard the second offence put her in breach of a 16-month suspended jail term handed to her for two counts of fraud.
She pleaded guilty to two charges of doing an act intended to pervert the course of justice and was sentenced today.
Judge James Patrick slammed her as having a ‘background of dishonesty’ and for being ‘an arrogant, dishonest, manipulative woman’.
Rhian Keys, 37, from South Hampstead, London, was caught over the limit on the M48 near Bristol in 2019 and on the A24 in Surrey later that year
She pleaded guilty to two charges of doing an act intended to pervert the course of justice and was sentenced today
Ramin Pakrooh, prosecuting, said at 3.45pm on February 16, 2019, Keys’ VW Scirroco was caught at 73mph in a 50mph zone on the M48.
She claimed the car had been taken without consent by her aunt – who proved to be out of the UK – and Keys then argued it must have been someone else.
Mr Pakrooh said around 1am on November 5, 2019, the same car was found to be hitting speeds of 63mph in a 40mph zone on the A24 in Surrey.
Keys claimed she was in Turkey but it was later proven she was not. She then argued the car had business insurance and someone else could have been using it.
Ramin Pakrooh, prosecuting, said at 3.45pm on February 16, 2019, Keys’ VW Scirroco was caught at 73mph in a 50mph zone on the M48
Meanwhile the defendant had claimed she had short-term memory loss.
In a police interview she handed over a letter from her GP stating she had mental health difficulties and was caused stress from the interview.
She said: ‘I should never have been here. My health is far more important than any driving offence.’
The court heard her previous suspended sentence was for using the credit card of a client to buy items – including electrical goods – worth £35,000.
Bristol Crown Court (pictured) heard the second offence put her in breach of a 16-month suspended jail term handed to her for two counts of fraud
Keys, an ex-professional ballet dancer, had reportedly scammed her friend and client out of the money by using her credit cards without permission.
The former actress and model had run a health and fitness firm called Ballet-fit and appeared in the West End show The Woman In Black.
Between December 2017 and May 2018, the Met Police said Keys bought 24 iPhones costing £25,210.
She also bought car insurance worth £2,763 as well as a dog seat for her Dachshund and holidays for her friends to Ibiza, which included Air BnB rooms.
Emma Martin, defending, said: ‘She is devastated by her own actions. They relate to a time in her life when she was suffering from Class A drug addiction and extremely low mental health.’
Mrs Martin said her client attributed her ‘sense of arrogance’ at the time to misuse of drugs, which made her think it was just motoring matters.
The court heard Keys had sought medical treatment for issues and was suitable for rehabilitation work.
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