7:20 am, August 31, 2022
A car mechanic who issued 31 false MOT certificates has been spared jail at a crown court hearing.
Anton Fricker, 27, failed to carry out the necessary tests before issuing certificates at the Halfords Autocentres in Castle Street, Taunton, pictured, and at Reckleford, Yeovil.
The DVSA was alerted to the fraud by Halfords and the government agency investigated.
Fricker refused to engage with the probe and initially denied the offences, but subsequently admitted them when he was presented with the evidence.
He appeared at Taunton Magistrates’ Court on July 13 where he pleaded guilty to 31 counts of fraud and was referred to Taunton Crown Court for sentencing.
Each charge related to dishonestly making a false representation by issuing an MOT certificate without performing MOT tests, intending to make a gain for himself or another.
He faced the prospect of a stint behind bars, but the judge instead decided on an eight-month sentence, suspended for 15 months.
Fricker, who no longer works for Halfords, was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work plus 25 rehabilitation days and ordered to pay a £500 contribution towards prosecution costs.
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As a result of his crimes, which were committed between August 26 and October 18, 2021, he has been banned from MOT testing for five years by the DVSA.
The DVSA said after the hearing that Fricker had abused a position of trust.
Marian Kitson, the DVSA’s director of enforcement, said: ‘Britain has some of the safest roads in the world. One of the reasons for this is the high standard of MOT testing carried on over 30m vehicles a year.
‘Mr Fricker issued MOT certificates to vehicles without having tested them.
‘He was not only defrauding the MOT system, but he was also defrauding the public who rightly expect the MOT to help keep them and their families safe whilst using the roads.
‘MOT testers hold a position of trust and Fricker abused that trust. We will ensure that anyone who compromises safety in pursuit of personal gain feels the full force of the law.’
Image via Google Street View
