A police officer who attended the scene of a crash involving a politician’s son told a jury she had lied to him and tried to “obstruct” the investigation.

At Wood Green Crown Court today, PC Steve Tutton gave evidence at the trial of Councillor Nilgun Canver, who has been accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Haringey Borough Council’s former cabinet member for environment is accused of lying to the police about after her son crashed a car which he was driving without insurance.

PC Tutton was the first of two officers to arrive at the scene at the corner of Seven Sisters Road and Elizabeth Road, Tottenham, at 1.05pm on January 24.

He checked the front seat of the BMW before being approached by white-haired man and directed to a cafe where Mrs Canver was sitting.

PC Tutton said: “The first thing I did was ask if she was the driver of the BMW and she said yes.

“She said she was a bit shaken up and mentioned something about being diabetic and that she had a funny turn.”

Yesterday, the jury at Wood Green Crown Court heard from Stavros Oikonomou, who was hurt during the incident.

He told the court it was a man was driving who fled the scene after the crash.

The officer then asked if she had been alone in the car and he said she replied “my son was with me but he has gone home because he is feeling well”.

Cllr Canver was then taken into the back of a police van so officers could take a statement.

Before the statement was given PC Tutton was approached by a paramedic who told him what Mr Oikonomou had said.

PC Tutton then asked his colleague to go speak to the victim about what he had seen while he questioned Cllr Canver.

He said: “I asked her is she was telling me the truth about who was driving because others have said it was a lone male.

“She just looked at me blankly. I said if it was your son who has been driving we need to find him as soon as possible.”

The officer said he asked her several times if it was her son who was driving and she continued to give him a blank look.

He said: “Eventually she said yes.

“Then she started to cry and said she was just trying to protect her son as any mother would.”

He then asked here her son was but Cllr Canver did not answer and began to scroll through the contacts of her phone as if she was preparing to make a telephone call.

PC Tutton said: “She said she was going to call him and at that point I took the phone off her because I don’t know what she would have said.

“I believe she was trying to tip him off and tell him that we were going to the house.

“I was quite frustrated that she was trying to obstruct our investigation.”

She then told the PC Tutton that her son was at her home in Mattinson Road, Harringay, and he sent officers to that address.

He then asked her why her son had left the scene of crash and she replied: “He may have been intoxicated.”

PC Tutton said: “She kept mentioning that she worked with us all the time because she was a local councillor.”

Afterwards, Cllr Canver was cautioned at the scene, warned other offences may have been committed and asked to make a statement.

Cllr Canver told the officer: “Is it necessary? What if I don’t?

“Is it in the public interest?”

The case continues.