Former West Yorkshire Police officer Abigail Byrne and her partner, Sharndelle Firth, have been sentenced after falsely claiming that Firth was responsible for Byrne’s speeding offences. The case matters because Byrne was a serving officer at the time and police said her actions breached the honesty and integrity standards expected of staff.

Byrne was caught speeding twice on Huddersfield’s A629 Wakefield Road on 29 and 31 January 2025, a route she used for work. Firth accepted the penalty points and attended a speed awareness course, while messages showed the pair discussing how to manage the penalties; both admitted two conspiracy charges. Byrne, 29, received a 14-month suspended sentence and 300 hours’ unpaid work, while Firth, 28, received an eight-month suspended sentence and 200 hours; each must also pay £800 costs.