Learner driver from Sheffield spared from jail after arranging for imposter to take her Theory Test

A learner driver who was caught after she had arranged for an imposter to take her Theory Test at a Derbyshire centre has narrowly been spared from jail.
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Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on September 2 how Fadumo Ayanle Llaye, 59, admitted giving her provisional driving licence to a female imposter so they could take the Theory Test for her after she had repeatedly failed it.Olivia Maginn, prosecuting, said: “This defendant had a Theory Test booked at the Test Centre in Chesterfield. She resides in Sheffield but on that day a different person arrived to take the test.”Llaye said in subsequent interviews that the defendant met the imposter in Sheffield and she passed over her provisional driving licence so the imposter could sit the test on the defendant’s behalf at the Chesterfield centre, at Stonegravels.The Test Centre queried the image they had of the defendant because it did not match the appearance of the imposter, according to Ms Maginn, and the imposter also failed to give a corresponding age and date of birth.Llaye, of Broom Walk, Sheffield, accepted in interviews that she had asked someone else to take the test for her.Ms Maginn said: “She confirmed that she had failed her Theory Test on six prior occasions and she had acted out of desperation.”The defendant claimed she was disabled and she provides care for her disabled mother and her husband and she was becoming impoverished because she was being forced to use taxis for hospital appointments.Ms Maginn added that there were aggravating factors with the offence because of the potential risk to other road-users if Llaye had succeeded in obtaining a Theory Test pass without actually taking the test herself.Llaye, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to supplying a provisional driving licence to be used in connection with a fraud between February, 2018, and May, 2018.Defence solicitor Douglas Scott said it was not a sophisticated fraud and it was not motivated by selfish personal gain but it was aimed at helping her elderly mother and her husband to get them to hospital appointments.He added: “She was very, very sorry. It was a crime committed out of desperation and she should not have done it but it was to benefit her mother who she cares for.”Mr Scott also added that Llaye had taken about 20 practical driving lessons so the potential risk to road-users would have been limited.District Judge Andrew Davison said he was aware these cases are becoming more prevalent and after watching a television documentary he had found this type of offending disturbing and stressed that a deterrent is important.Llaye was sentenced to 24 weeks of custody suspended for 12 months with a 16 week curfew and a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.She was also ordered to pay £1,600 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.Llaye was also made subject to a 12 month driving disqualification.