Two fraudsters who made cash out of taking people’s driving tests for them have both been jailed.
Ali Abdullah and Muktar Nuren sat theory and practical driving tests for up to 43 candidates in return for cash.
Following a detailed investigation conducted by DSA investigators and Greater Manchester Police, Abdullah, 32, and Nuren, 22, were arrested at their homes in July 2008 and charged with conspiracy to defraud.
The pair pleaded guilty to the charge and at Manchester City Crown Court on 14 December Abdullah was given a three-year jail sentence and Nuren was sentenced to one year in jail.
The pair, both from Manchester, carried out the fraudulent tests between February 2006 and June 2008. They conducted theory tests at Salford, Runcorn, Preston, Stockport, St Helen’s and Ilford in Essex, as well as practical tests in Sale, Oldham, Bury, Cheetham Hill, Failsworth, and Redditch in Worcestershire.
A number of driving test candidates have been arrested in connection with the investigation and received police cautions. The DSA will be seeking to revoke all licences obtained by illegal means.
Michelle Moston, Deputy Head of the DSA’s Fraud and Integrity Team, said: “We are very pleased with today’s results because they reflect the seriousness of the crime. People like Abdullah and Nuren, who impersonate at driving tests, present a real risk to all road users, as they provide an entitlement to drive to those who have not been assessed to show that they are competent to do so.
“In addition to obtaining the qualification to drive, many people seek possession of a full UK driving licence to establish proof of identity. Once obtained, that licence may also be used as proof of identity in a variety of other circumstances, such as obtaining state benefits and accommodation, opening bank accounts, obtaining credit cards and even undertaking domestic air travel”
