An Afghan man living in Birmingham used impersonators to sit his driving tests because he could not understand English.
Ali Khan, 38, from Alum Rock, handed his provisional driving licence to two different people on separate occasions in a bid to pass the driving theory test.
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His first attempt at cheating was rumbled after the imposter told staff at a test centre that he had recently undergone plastic surgery on his face.
And just weeks later, the second man told workers at the centre he had left his passport in his car – then abruptly fled the scene.
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Prosecuting on behalf of the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Anton Balkitis said that a stranger turned up to a test centre in Dudley with Khan’s license on September 2, 2024.
He told Birmingham Magistrates’ Court that staff at the centre did not allow the man to take the theory test after not believing it was his ID.
Mr Balkitis said: “The candidate responded that he had plastic surgery on his nose and face to explain the difference and left.”
After the plot was foiled, Khan received a warning letter instructing him not the repeat the ruse.
However, on September 21, another individual turned up to a test centre, this time in Redditch, with the Afghan man’s license.
When probed by reception staff about the email address used to book the test and his date of birth, the imposter was unable to do so.
“He couldn’t produce the email confirmation of the booking and said he was going to get his passport from his wife in the car and left,” the prosecutor said.
Khan was later interviewed about the incidents by the DVSA – but the 38-year-old denied using impersonators and claimed that his provisional licence had vanished.
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Mr Balkitis said: “He claimed that he had lost his licence, someone must’ve found it and booked two theory tests and carried it out without his knowledge.”
At Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, Khan pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying an article for use in fraud via a Pashtun interpreter.
The 38-year-old was sentenced to 45 weeks behind bars, suspended for 18 months, ordered to pay £1,750 in costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
The Afghan was also ordered to take part in a “thinking skills” programme.
Mr Balkitis described the issue of imposters turning up to take driving tests as “rife”, adding: “Social media is littered with posts offering these services.”
In 2022, a 29-year-old woman was jailed after posing as other people to sit their driving tests more than 100 times.
Inderjeet Kaur, 29, admitted to having taken approximately 150 theory and practical driving tests on behalf of candidates between 2018 and 2020.
Swansea Crown Court heard Kaur committed the offences throughout England and Wales, including in Swansea, Carmarthen, Birmingham and around London.
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