A former Pompey footballer has been jailed for four-months for perverting the course of justice after he lied, claiming his stepfather was at the wheel of a speeding car.

Vincent Pericard, who is currently signed to Stoke City who Saints play tomorrow, was caught travelling at 103mph in his Mercedes CLK 500 on the 70mph limit A38 dual carriageway near Plymouth, Devon, on March 6 last year.

The 24-year-old, who played for Italian giants Juventus in the Uefa Champions League before joining Portsmouth, claimed on his notice of intended public prosecution that the driver was his stepfather, Jack Pericard.

Letters were then sent to his stepfather at an address in France but there were no replies.

When officers tracked him down and spoke to him he said he had not been in the UK since 2003.

After the notice, sent on March 15, Pericard was sent further letters which he did not reply to until one saying that the picture of him speeding was from the front of the car and revealed the driver.

On December 6 he sent a prepared statement to the police saying he had made a mistake and apologised for any inconvenience but was later arrested.

At Plymouth Crown Court earlier today, Pericard, who has twice been disqualified from driving for previous speeding offences, pleaded guilty to one charge of perverting the course of justice.

The court heard he earns £190,000 a year and could afford a significant financial penalty.

However Judge Francis Gilbert said speed cameras would be a "waste of time" if there were not serious consequences for this type of offence.

"You were looking to escape, it was a deliberate plan of dishonesty," he said. "I regard doing an act intending to pervert the course of public justice as serious.

"You cannot buy yourself out of the consequences."

Pericard, of Oyster Road, Portsmouth, now plays for Stoke City after signing on a free transfer at the end of the 2005-06 season.

However it is not thought he was due to play in the game against Saints tomorrow.

The court heard he was speeding while travelling from his Portsmouth home to a training session in Plymouth where he was playing for Plymouth Argyle.

After the hearing, PC Duncan Russell said: "There is a small minority of people who think they are above the law and that they can lie their way out of a speeding fine.

"In this case the defendant was driving at 103mph and deliberately lied to avoid the consequences.

"The sentence today reinforces that the court will not tolerate this behaviour."