Garage workers sentenced for issuing fraudulent MOT certificates

Two garage workers from Middlesbrough have been sentenced at Teesside Crown Court for issuing fraudulent MOT certificates.

Hassan Akbar Rashid, 24, and George Peter Snowden, 28, were employed at Boro Tyres and MOT Station, where they fraudulently passed vehicles without conducting proper inspections in October 2023.

Prosecuting, Olivia Maginn said the investigation was initiated by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), after a tip-off about irregularities at the garage.

She said on October 9, two examiners employed by the DVSA reviewed CCTV footage of vehicles exiting the station between October 4-7.

"The offending took place over three days in October with eight certificates being issued on the 5th, seven certificates issued on the 6th and 10 MOT certificates issued on the 7th," Maginn explained. "Both defendants had been falsely using login details of [name of colleague]. "

"Numerous substitute vehicles were used to obtain the brake readings recorded onto the testing system. There were occasions where several people would enter a vehicle to increase the weight registered. This alters the brake readings which are automatically contained and recorded onto the computer."

Rashid, of Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, had previously been a qualified MOT tester but was no longer authorised at the time of the offences, admitted to 19 counts of fraud. Snowden, of Wingate, admitted to six counts of fraud.

Rashid was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, along with 35 rehabilitation activity days. He was also given a three-month electronically monitored curfew.

Snowden received an eight-month suspended sentence, with 180 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation activity days, and a three-month curfew.