News: Man "phones a friend" in bid to cheat at driving theory test

A MAN was arrested after he was caught “phoning a friend” in a bid to cheat at his driving theory test.

The man was taking his exam in a test centre in Manchester on Monday when staff noticed an ear piece he was wearing fall to the floor. They realised he was communicating with another person who was giving him the answers to the theory questions.

Staff called the police who arrested the 39-year-old man on suspicion of carrying an article for the use of fraud. He admitted using the device and was given a caution before being released.

In a nod to TV’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Greater Manchester Police tweeted: “Odd arrest yesterday – man sits written driving test with earpiece which allows him to ‘phone a friend’. Worst thing was, he failed the test.”

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency identified 7,453 fraudulent tests between 2010 and May 2014. They included impersonation, Bluetooth communication and translator fraud, where translators were giving candidates the answers.

The police arrested 2,028 people suspected of fraud and 3,249 licences were revoked. Typically, those who are successfully prosecuted serve prison sentences of between 12 months and three years.

Andy Ride, head of fraud and integrity at the DVSA, said: “Driving test fraud is a serious offence and will be dealt with accordingly. We have stringent measures in place to detect fraudulent activity and work closely with the police to bring all offenders to justice. Our driving examiners and the staff at the theory test centres play a major part in maintaining the integrity of the driving test and reducing fraud.”

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