Mechanic avoids prison after fraudulent MOTs

Yasser Akhtar issued over 300 false certificates, putting road users at risk, court hears

Mechanic avoids prison after fraudulent MOTs
Photo: Bigstock

A 26-year-old MOT tester, Yasser Akhtar, has received a suspended prison sentence after issuing fraudulent MOT certificates that “put road users at risk.” Akhtar, working at The Car Group in Rochdale Road, Bury, came under scrutiny when all 334 tests he conducted over a month-long period showed a zero per cent failure rate.

Further investigation by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency revealed that 14 of these cars were not present in the garage when their tests were supposedly conducted. CCTV footage confirmed the vehicles were absent while Akhtar issued pass certificates via his mobile phone, often late at night or on weekends.

Akhtar confessed to police, stating he was pressured into the fraud to pay off a debt. He explained he had crashed a client’s car during a test drive and, being uninsured, was demanded money by the owner. A friend of the owner then provided Akhtar with a list of vehicles for which to issue fraudulent MOTs in lieu of payment.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Akhtar, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to ten counts of fraud by false representation. His defence highlighted his remorse and the pressure he was under, noting his aspirations to return to mechanical engineering.

Recorder Sarah Holt told Akhtar: “Your actions undermined the testing system. You put road users at risk. You abused the position of trust that you were in as an accredited MOT tester.”

Akhtar, of Larkspur Road, Middlesbrough, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and ten rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Source: Manchester Evening News

8 Comments

  1. Hopefully all his mot’s are cancelled and have to be redone.

    Reply
  2. Hope he is banned from bring an MOT tester for life.

    Reply
  3. I agree with Mick

    Reply
  4. should have been sent to prison sentence does not fit the crime 300 false mots wow

    Reply
  5. Why did it take DVSA so long to figure that out

    Reply
    • How does that sentence set an example he’s put 300 peoples+ life’s at risk and he walked out of court ready to start again absolute joke dvsa should be ashamed of themselves I no of many people that have been convicted for Bent mots and not one has received a prison sentence and I wonder what happened to the potential 30.000 he received in back headers at 100 a ticket

      Reply
  6. Why did it take DVSA so long to figure that out?

    Reply
  7. The registered keepers of those cars with false MOT certificates should notified and have the MOT pass revoked, and the vehicle can only re-tested at another MOT station.

    Reply

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