12:03 pm, January 13, 2022
The DVSA has handed a five year ban to a West Yorkshire mechanic who fraudulently issued MOT certificates to nine vehicles.
Jamie Smith was busted by the agency after issuing a pass certificate for a Mercedes-Benz C van at his garage in Pontefract.
The DVLA were already aware that the vehicle was believed to be in Spain and alerted the DVSA on June 2, 2021.
Investigators then looked into the incident and Spanish police confirmed the van had been seized and impounded at the time of the MOT.
Part of the investigation also involved a search of the Automatic Number Plate Recognition network between the dates the vehicle was supposedly tested.
The search provided no hits of the Mercedes being on the UK road network at the time.
The vehicle was actually in a compound over 1,200 miles away from where it was supposed to have been tested on May 24.
Further investigations revealed that there were a further eight vehicles, including four vans, which had been issued MOT certificates by Smith, without ever having been at the garage.
The certificates were issued between January 15 and June 2.
Smith was questioned by police and despite initially denying the offences, later chose to come clean.
He admitted to to having received payment for the fraudulent MOTs and this week appeared at Kirklees Magistrates Court.
The defendant was sentenced to a community order to include 50 hours of unpaid work and a curfew from 7am to 7pm for two months.
He was also months ordered to pay full costs totalling £1,620 and given the full 5 year cessation notice by DVSA.
Caroline Hicks, head regulatory services & transformation at the DVSA, said: ‘The DVSA’s priority is protecting you from unsafe drivers and vehicles.
‘Mr Smith had no way of knowing the condition of the vehicles. His greed put the safety of drivers and the public danger.
‘We will ensure that anyone who compromises safety in pursuit of personal gain feels the full force of the law.’
