Mechanic issued 310 fraudulent MOT certificates

DVSA processes brought the rogue mechanic to justice

Mechanic issued 310 fraudulent MOT certificates
The garage owner was completely unaware of the fraudulent certificates being issues.

A mechanic issued 310 MOT certificates for vehicles he never inspected, a court has been told.

David Barrington, 32, pleaded guilty to 50 counts of fraud and asked for a further 260 related counts to be taken into consideration when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court; he was given a suspended sentence.

The defendant was working as an MOT tester at a garage in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, when he issued the certificates.

The owner of the garage had no knowledge of Mr Barrington’s illegal activities.

DVSA received intelligence that MOT certificates were being issued fraudulently in the Devon area.

This prompted an investigation by DVSA’s enforcement team that exposed the extent of Mr Barrington’s conduct.

No idea if vehicles were roadworthy

Using specialist analysis and data from the MOT testing service, the team was able to identify the person responsible and the number of fraudulent certificates he issued.

Investigations by the DVSA revealed that, over an 18-month period, Barrington issued 310 MOT test pass certificates to vehicles he had not inspected.

This meant he had no idea what condition the vehicles were in or whether they were roadworthy.

Barrington, who worked at CT Staddon Ltd, was immediately removed from the MOT scheme as well as being prosecuted.

The owner of the garage where he committed his crimes was banned from conducting MOT tests for 28 days.

DVSA has contacted the owners of the affected vehicles advising them to get their vehicle re-tested.

Barrington, of Longdogs Lane, Ottery St Mary, was given a 16-month suspended sentence and a six-month electronic curfew order to run from 9pm to 6am.

The DVSA is also now undertaking a proceeds of crime investigation, the Devon Live article said.

Have you ever encountered any activity like this? Is there anything else garages or the DVSA could do to prevent these crimes taking place? Let us know in the comments below.

Home Page Forums Mechanic issued 310 fraudulent MOT certificates

  • This topic has 11 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 9 months ago by highly qalified.
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  • #172127 Reply
    Mark Hughes
    Keymaster

    A mechanic issued 310 MOT certificates for vehicles he never inspected, a court has been told.

    David Barrington, 32, pleaded guilty to 50 counts of fraud and asked for a further 260 related counts to be taken into consideration when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court; he was given a suspended sentence.

    [See the full post at: Mechanic issued 310 fraudulent MOT certificates]

    #172149 Reply
    Dougal
    Guest

    NO IDEA IF THE VEHICLES WERE ROADWORTHY ????

    So he might have thought that the purchasers of these MOT passes did so because they couldn’t spare the time to pop down to their local MOT station ?

    Will those who bought the passes be prosecuted for using a vehicle knowing it did not have a valid MOT ?

    #172150 Reply
    mercedes
    Guest

    this goes on every where a station in alloa had the same thing the last the tester was seen he was legging it up the road when vosa ask too see the car he had just tested he said i will get the car its in the car park he never came back if you know who too ask a mot will be done over the phone this tester should off been jailed too send out a message and this should off been put on matters of testing for all too see

    #172153 Reply
    Peter fearnley
    Guest

    Why give him a suspended sentence most of us are trying to give a fair result for an MOT test & earn an honest living as well as provide a good standard of repair work and employ hard working staff as well send him down & do us all a favour

    #172155 Reply
    Joe Brookshaw
    Guest

    To many of thes selfless money making charectors in the motor trade give us genuing ones a bad name ,making out were not in it for making sure cars are roadworty but just to make a quick quid
    Iv said it before in my home town there are testers who have been doing the same for years

    #172159 Reply
    David
    Guest

    DVSA has contacted the owners of the affected vehicles advising them to get their vehicle re-tested.

    There are many personalities out there in the trade and the public domain. It’s all well and good DVSA dreaming up the ideas like once a test certificate is issued it can’t be cancelled and it will run until the expiry date, and then ADVISING owners to get their vehicles retested at more expense to them, which I just can’t see that happening can you!

    When I test certificate has been issued and DVSA know that certificate like in these examples has been fraudulently issued, DVSA should have the means and authority available to contact the owners and tell them the MOT certificate issued to their vehicle has been done so by actions of fraud and therefore is now with immediate effect VOID from further use.

    If a person did know that the certificate was issued by means of fraud and that person also knows that certificate cannot be cancelled until it expires, then put yourself in the shoes of the person who knows about the certificate, would you think that person will go and get another genuine MOT on their vehicle?

    #172162 Reply
    Dougal
    Guest

    It must be a large (or sloppy) testing station to be able to buy an extra 310 slots and not notice it.

    I guess that most AE might not notice 1 test done like this but 310 ?

    #172278 Reply
    Mail@redlinenorwich,co.uk
    Guest

    He should do his suspended sentence on the end of a rope!
    The courts need to understand this fraud is extremly dangerous to us all ,it will not be untill an illegal mot kills someone that they might wake up and impose some serious penaltys eg 12 months inside minimum.
    Ken Lister MD

    #172743 Reply
    C Gibbs
    Guest

    Forget a suspended sentence, PUT HIM INSIDE FOR 12 MONTHS, AND ANYBODY WHO IS JUST GIVING OUT MOT,s from now on. THIS HAS TO STOP.

    #173115 Reply
    Hugh
    Guest

    I HAD A CAR DEALER Send a person up to my garage To ask if I could give him an MOT cert just to get him home, I told him no chance. And a quick look at the car from 20 yards you could see bald tires a cracked windscreen Grease flowing out of the wheel bearings not even a dust cap, only one lens on the rear lamp in one piece broken headlight, and a door handle missing, The engine was running and it was burning oil faster than petrol, From memory I think it was A Ford 105E about 1065 or there a bouts. AS Master Mechanics we see some Shockers., I have failed a brand new car that was a prize draw and had been registered to a charity, It Was a GM car and had more than 5 faults. So its a good Idea to take your brand new car to a good mechanic for a full check over,

    #174471 Reply
    Tim mepham
    Guest

    Any tester who thinks this is to do should locked up and banned from ever working in the trade again too many cowboys out there also money isn’t as good as it used to be so it’s no surprise this sort of thing happens 2 pony mots a day at say £50a go that’s £500 undeclared cash more than a lot of techs warn in certain areas

    #233966 Reply
    highly qalified
    Guest

    i’ve been offered mot’s like that but i’d rather the car was checked over properly. minor faults addressed on the spot or as soon as i get home.

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

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