A Birmingham man has been sentenced to eight months in prison after being caught posing as other people to sit driving theory tests for money 🚗⚖️
Qounain Khan, 23, was arrested at a Cardiff test centre in June 2023 when investigators became suspicious and challenged his identity. Despite initially maintaining he was the registered candidate, Khan admitted to being an impersonator when shown a photograph of the real test-taker.
Khan told investigators he had travelled from Birmingham by train and was due to be paid £300 if he passed the test, claiming he had “never done this before.”
However, a subsequent investigation revealed Khan had attempted the same fraud at 12 different test centres across Wales and England between November 2021 and June 2023. He attended centres in Cardiff, Chesterfield, Redditch, Worcester, Wolverhampton, Horley in Surrey, Dudley, Swindon, Bradford and Carlisle, often disguising himself by changing his hairstyle.
Prosecutor Justin Davies told Cardiff Crown Court that despite his disguises, Khan “was readily identifiable” and had been turned away from all centres except Cardiff. The court heard that a successfully passed test by an impersonator could attract a price between £1,500 and £2,000.
Defence solicitor Elin Morgan said Khan was just 19 when his offending began, following unemployment that led to alcohol, gambling and cannabis problems, resulting in £20,000 of debt. She told the court Khan is now clean of drugs, studying business, is a father expecting another child, and cares for his mother.
Judge Richard Kember said during sentencing: “This was a long period of offending and it was sophisticated… This was designed to undermine the integrity of the standards of the driving test.”
The judge added that a “deterrent sentence” was needed in such cases.
Khan, of Edmund Road, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of fraud by false representation and 12 counts of possessing an article for use in fraud.
