Driver jailed for disguising his car as ambulance while caring for sick wife

A man has been jailed for dressing as a paramedic and disguising his Renault estate car as an emergency response vehicle, complete with flashing light, to run errands for his wife, a court has heard.
Phillip Lemonheigh, 60, attached the light to the roof of the car and had an “emergency response” sign stuck to the side. Though he had no driving licence, he travelled at up to 73 mph and ran red lights during shopping trips until he was caught by a speed camera.
Jailing him for 20 months on Thursday, Judge Peter Griffiths said that, in his legal career, he had “never come across something so bizarre”.


Swansea crown court heard that Lemonheigh was a carer for his wife Noreen, who had a “chronic medical condition”, and ran errands for her around their home town of Neath, south Wales. He disguised their blue Renault Laguna estate car in the style of a first-response ambulance and jumped behind the wheel.
But he was caught by a speed camera at a notorious accident spot on the A4119 in Llantrisant, south Wales, at 9pm at night. He was recorded running the light almost 24 seconds after it had changed to red, and going at a speed of 73mph in a 50mph zone.
Lemonheigh admitted dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice by giving a false name to police.
The court heard he had bought a blue flashing light and paramedic uniforms on the internet and paid a friend to put the decals on his car. Frank Phillips, prosecuting, said: “The blue light and stickers were attached to the vehicle to give those seeing it the belief it was on some sort of official business.”

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As well as giving a false name, Phillips tried to make the excuse that he was speeding to get his wife to the hospital because she was taken ill: but that was clearly not true because he was travelling in the wrong direction. “He then admitted he was simply speeding,” said Phillips.
Robin Rach, defending, said the use of the blue flashing lights had made the danger of an accident occurring while running the red light less likely.
He said: “Throughout this period his wife was very ill, and she has since sadly passed away. He purchased the lights and other medical paraphernalia over the internet and he said this allowed him to be seen quicker at hospital when taking his wife. There is no suggestion he tried to treat anyone else or to convey anyone else to hospital in the vehicle.”
Lemonheigh was jailed for 20 months and disqualified from driving for three years. He was told he would have to complete an extended test before applying for any future driving licence.