Cllr Nilgün Canver
LAWYERS representing Turkish councillor Nilgün Canver, who is accused of perverting the course of justice, are applying to have the case against her dismissed.
Ms Canver, who until August was a Haringey council cabinet member, allegedly tried to take the blame after her son Burak crashed her car.
Prosecutors at Wood Green Crown Court said she arrived at the scene of the accident, which occurred in January this year, and told police she had been driving the car.
But defence lawyer Anya Louise said Ms Canver withdrew her statement minutes later and should face the lesser charge of wasting police time.
When pressed by Judge Shaun Lyons, she said: “The defendant’s position is that she is the member of a local council executive, a position which she has lost at the present time, and a local councillor.
“The impact of this on her life, as you can imagine, has been absolutely devastating.”
But the judge said it was unlikely the case would be thrown out for reasons given by Cllr Canver’s lawyers.
He was quoted by the Haringey Independent as saying: “This is a case where she turned up, claimed she was the driver at the time of the accident and made an incorrect statement to the police.
“If I was to shoot someone and then 30 seconds later said ‘I’m sorry’ it would not change the fact that I did it.”
The defence and prosecution were ordered to reappear on 6 November, when the judge will decide whether to dismiss or proceed with the case.
EARLIER CASE
Burak Canver, 22, crashed his family’s BMW 520d into a lamppost after hitting a man on the Seven Sisters Road on 24 January this year.
He was convicted in August of taking the car without consent, failing to stop after an accident and driving without insurance.
Ms Canver was suspended by the Labour Party after being charged this summer. She remains an independent councillor for St Ann’s ward until next May’s local election, but she will be unable to stand again as Labour have already nominated a candidate to replace her.
