Theory test cheating
Theory test cheat jailed for six months
A furniture salesman who pretended to be three acquaintances to complete their driving theory tests has been sentenced to six months in jail. Asif Saber, aged 35, journeyed from his residence in Birmingham to South Yorkshire to undertake exams at test centers in Sheffield and Doncaster.
Sheffield Crown Court was informed that he demanded £100 for each test, but his scheme was discovered when a test center employee recognized his name.
Dangerous driving
Mark Bates, defending, said Saber had been having “financial issues” at the time of the offenses, following the breakdown of his relationship, and was paid £100 each time. Passing sentence, the judge said: “What you attempted to do was put people who were not fit to be driving on the roads of this country on the roads of this country.
Statistics
According to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), 186 people have been prosecuted for driving test theory fraud in the UK since 2018. As backlog from COVID-19 still delays the time taken to book tests, people who are desperate to pass are turning to these methods, and figures are expected to rise as long as demand for tests does not decrease.
A spokesperson said DVSA staff worked with examiners and test center staff across the country to identify candidates suspected of cheating.
Consequences
As these schemes become more common, it may seem appealing to pay for this service if you need to pass your theory or practical test, however completing a theory or practical driving test for someone else can lead you to jail time. This also goes for anyone being caught paying for a fraudulent test completion. Other punishments include large fines or a ban from driving forever for a select number of years
Download our new app
