A motoring legal expert has warned a driver considering the purchase of a special sheet to cover their number plate, which could help dodge speed cameras, that they might risk imprisonment. Nick Freeman, known as Mr Loophole for his success in defending celebrities in high-profile driving cases, is a renowned motoring lawyer. A reader of The Times enquired about an online advert for a special number plate designed to outsmart speed cameras, stating: "I saw advertised online a transparent sheet you can attach over your car's number plates. Its manufacturer claims it can thwart speed, red light and police ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras. It was being sold on a popular shopping site. You can apparently buy a spray that does the same thing, or get plates made with the coating already in place. But it occurs to me that it may not be legal to use. Can you advise?". Nick Freeman, the motoring solicitor also known as Mr Loophole, has spoken up about 'ghost number plates', which are touted as 'incredibly simple' yet capable of helping individuals evade traffic penalties. These plates feature a reflective coating that makes them invisible to police cameras. The British Number Plate Manufacturers Association (BNMA), the group behind most of the UK's number plates, is pressing for stricter industry regulation. They fired off a letter to the Government last month, alleging that numerous suppliers dodging DVLA registration are snubbing its rules. They're raising the alarm over rampant ghost plates and cloning, where a plate mirrors another vehicle's registration. Mr Freeman responded to these concerns – issuing a stark warning that using such plates could lead to prison: "These are all illegal and you run the risk of committing the serious criminal offence of attempting to pervert the course of justice. This is in addition to having number plates that fail to comply with the strict specifications regarding visibility and reflectivity imposed by the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001. "Obscuring a plate, whether deliberately or inadvertently owing to dirt or road grime, is an offence under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994. The latter offence involves a fine and the plate being deemed invalid. However, if there is an intention to avoid the consequences of your driving, the offence of attempting to pervert the course of justice can be tried only in the Crown Court and typically involves a custodial sentence. "It is no defence to suggest that you purchased the item online and were told it was legal. My advice to anyone who buys one would be to return it and request a refund. I think they would be successful as I very much doubt the company concerned would welcome police attention or the attendant adverse publicity." Michael Flanagan, chairman of the British Number Plate Manufacturers Association, lamented: "Far from being the tightly regulated industry it should be, number plates are increasingly being sold by unscrupulous below-the-radar suppliers using non-compliant, untraceable materials. "They rarely ask for the documentation that the DVLA require. This is a criminal offence and enables serious criminals and terrorists to move around the roads undetected." He urged, "Motorists deserve to know they are buying a legal, compliant number plate from a legitimate supplier. Now is the time for Government to tighten the regulations." Labour MP for West Bromwich, Sarah Coombes, is pushing for harsher penalties for those caught with ghost plates, advocating for an increase from a £100 fine and no penalty points to at least a £1,000 fine and six penalty points. She stated emphatically: "Dodgy number plates are no longer a fringe issue. They're everywhere and they're undermining the rule of law on our roads. "I know this Government is committed to making our roads safer for everyone. Tightening the law on number plates will be a huge step in the right direction. " A spokesperson for the DVLA commented: "DVLA is committed to ensuring all number plates are displayed correctly and legally. We work with the police and Trading Standards to take action against suppliers who do not comply with the law. ""A legitimate supplier will always ask to see ID and entitlement documents before selling a number plate. Where this doesn't happen, members of the public can report this directly to their local Trading Standards." Professor Fraser Sampson, the former Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner, previously described the tactics used to thwart Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems as 'staggeringly simple'.