Dylan Thomas Foster, Brightview, fronts Ipswich court for false statutory declaration

A Somerset man faced the prospect of jail today after giving false evidence to the cops in order to ‘help out a mate’ – who a court heard he still refused to identify.

Dylan Thomas Foster (right) outside Ipswich Court on August 23, 2023. Picture: Nicola McNamara

A Somerset man ‘put himself in the firing line’ in a misguided ploy to help out a mate, before quickly folding to the ruse when confronted with “obvious facts”.

Brightview resident Dylan Thomas Foster, 24, pleaded guilty in Ipswich District Court on August 23 to one count of attempting to pervert justice.

The court heard Foster had signed a false statutory declaration on October 3, 2022, in Hatton Vale.

He had lied and said he had found an electrical tester – which was later found to be stolen – on the side of the road.

Foster had further declared that he then left the tester at a house, where it was later located by police.

When police interviewed him about the declaration, Foster initially maintained that his declaration had been true.

However, he quickly admitted he had lied after they told him they knew the tester had been stolen by the person they found it with.

The court heard Foster had told police he had lied simply to “help out a mate”.

He had then refused to identify who had asked him to lie.

Defence barrister Steve Kissick said his client’s offending was on the lower end of the scale as the statutory declaration was never presented in court.

“It was highly unsophisticated, and immediately when confronted with the obvious facts he (Foster) made admissions in regard to it,” Mr Kissick said.

Crown prosecutor Caitlin Thompson argued Foster should serve some actual time in custody.

“The offence is extremely serious … It strikes at the very heart of the administration of justice,” she said.

She noted Foster had eight convictions on his criminal history for breaching bail and had offended while on parole.

Judge Ken Barlow KC noted Foster had been diagnosed with autism, and that this may have contributed to why Foster felt the need to be loyal.

“That of course was a serious misjudgment,” he said.

“By protecting that person, you put yourself in the firing line.”

Judge Barlow said Foster had previously been sentenced to a suspended jail term of 15 months for an arson and unlawful use of a motor vehicle in February 2018. 

At that time, he said the sentencing Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren had noted Foster had become involved out of loyalty to friends who led him astray.

“That what seems to have happened here,” Judge Barlow said.

“You’ve become friends again with the wrong person.”

He sentenced Foster to 12 months imprisonment, wholly suspended for two years.

“I stress to you the importance of making sure the friends that you make in life are not criminals,” Judge Barlow warned.

“That will help you maintain a good job, keep a good life and better yourself.”

Originally published as Dylan Thomas Foster, Brightview, fronts Ipswich court for false statutory declaration