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Bogus driving instructor is fined for fraud
A BOGUS driving instructor who continued teaching pupils despite having her badge revoked over concerns about her capability has been fined.
Mum-of-two Mariam Bibi, aged 29, carried on giving driving lessons via her own independent driving school even after she failed a spot test designed to monitor safety standards.
She was given the chance to re-take the test but failed to turn up, leading the Driving Standards Agency to revoke her instructor's badge and remove her from the official register on October 29 last year.
But Bibi, of Hereward Road, Firth Park, continued to operate as an instructor for another month afterwards - teaching three different candidates.
She charged 15 an hour and even organised driving tests for pupils - with other instructors reporting having seen her at the test centre during that period.
In a joint operation by the DSA and South Yorkshire Police, Bibi was stopped at Middlewood Road Driving Test Centre as she presented a candidate for a test.
Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard Bibi qualified to become a driving instructor in 2006, receiving a certificate which was valid for four years.
During this time the DSA can ask for spot tests to be carried out on instructors to monitor standards, which Bibi failed last year.
When she did not turn up for a re-take last August, she was notified by letter sent by recorded delivery that she had been removed from the official instructors' register. In interview Bibi said she knew she had not passed the spot test, but claimed she was unaware she had to return her badge and had been taken off the register.
At court she pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by misrepresentation when she claimed to be a DSA register approved instructor, intending to make a financial gain for herself.
The hearing was told she was a woman of previous good character, who had become anxious about re-taking the test and losing the job she loved. She was ordered to pay a 100 fine and 100 towards the costs of the case, plus the standard 15 government surcharge.
Charles Morton, DSA's driving instructor registrar, said: "If you are not qualified to teach learner drivers, but continue teaching for money, you can expect to face penalties."
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