A 30-year-old "PH" driver, who pleaded guilty to pretending to be a police officer, changed his mind when he realised he was being sent to jail yesterday.

Suresh Maharaj, of Bonne Aventure Road, Gasparillo, broke down in tears after Magistrate Adrian Dharmanie ordered him to spend six weeks with hard labour in prison for trying to lure a 14-year-old girl into his car by telling her he was a policeman.

The charge was read to Maharaj and he responded by saying: "Guilty, Sir. I am very sorry."

After being placed in the holding cell in the Fourth Court, San Fernando, Maharaj accused PC Narine Bisnath, the officer who charged him, of lying to the court.

PC Ramesh Deena told the court that the girl was walking along the Guaracara Tabaquite Road, Harmony Hall, Gasparillo, around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, when Maharaj pulled alongside her and ordered her to get into his car, which he was using as a taxi, but she refused.

Maharaj told her he was a police officer conducting enquiries and was taking her to the Gasparillo Police Station.

The girl ran off, screaming for help, and attracted the attention of PC Bisnath, who was on patrol duty with other police officers in a marked police vehicle. A report was made and Maharaj was arrested.

Told of the report, Maharaj said: "Yes, I do that, but I eh no raper man."

Maharaj's attorney, Roland Teemul, asked Dharmanie not to jail Maharaj. Teemul said Maharaj had two children and was the sole breadwinner in his family. He said Maharaj allowed his passions to overcome him.

Dharmanie said Maharaj might have been facing a more serious charge if the police had not intervened. Bisnath was commended for his alertness.

Maharaj faced the possibility of being fined $750 or being ordered to serve three months in prison if he was found guilty at the end of a trial.

In passing sentence, Dharmanie said he took into consideration Maharaj's guilty plea and his previously clean record and ordered that he be sent to jail for six weeks. Maharaj was placed in the cell and started to cry.

He shouted to Dharmanie: "All I have to say is the police not talking the truth. It never happened like that."