Birmingham fraudster avoids jail after taking driving test for someone else
Ali Mohammed has been sentenced to 20 weeks, suspended for 18 months.
Last updated 3rd Jan 2024
A fraudster who was caught by police making a ‘crudely executed' attempt to take a driving test for someone else has been sentenced.
Officers from Nottinghamshire Police’s fraud team contacted staff at the Worksop Test Centre to alert them about a practical driving exam due to take place on 24 October 2022.
Detectives believed Ali Mohammed, 48, was likely to provide false details and take a test on behalf of another man later that day.
Mohammed arrived and was taken out on the test by an examiner - but staff at the centre quickly noticed the photo ID he provided was false.
The driver taking the test looked ‘markedly’ different and visibly younger than the man who was supposed to be attending.
Officers were at the test centre when Mohammed returned from his exam and arrested him on suspicion of fraud.
Mohammed, of Estone Walk, Birmingham, was handed a jail sentence of 20 weeks, suspended for 18 months, when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday (2 January).
He will also have to carry out 20 days of rehabilitation activity and 150 hours of unpaid work in the community as part of his sentence.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation at the same court.
Police Constable Bethany Childs, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Driving tests are vital in ensuring motorists have a decent level of skill and experience in order to safely use our roads.
“Impersonating another individual on a test for financial gain is obviously a serious offence which potentially puts other road users at risk and undermines the principle of the testing process.
“I hope this case sends a clear message to those who believe they can break the law for their own financial gain that offences will be uncovered and you will be brought before the courts.”
The court was told the fraud attempt was ‘crudely executed’ as Mohammed looked ‘markedly different’ to the man who was booked in for the test.
In mitigation, it was said he was under pressure to pay a debt to a family member at the time of the offence and had not offended in around 20 years.