Man Who Claimed He Couldn’t Speak English Hired Someone To Take His Driving Theory Test For Him, But Did Not Expect What Happened Next

A Birmingham man has been sentenced after using other people to take his driving theory tests for him because he struggled to understand English.

Ali Khan, 38, from Alum Rock Road, admitted arranging for impersonators to use his provisional driving licence and sit the theory test in his place on two separate occasions.

His plan was exposed when staff at two different test centres became suspicious after noticing that the people attending the tests did not appear to match Khan’s identity.

The first incident happened on September 2, 2024, at a test centre in Dudley. A man arrived carrying Khan’s provisional driving licence and attempted to take the theory test on his behalf.

However, reception staff quickly became suspicious and refused to allow him to take the test because they did not believe he was the genuine licence holder.

When questioned about the difference in appearance, the man reportedly claimed that he had undergone plastic surgery on his nose and face. He then left the test centre.

Khan was later sent a warning letter telling him not to repeat the offence. But just weeks later, another man turned up at a test centre in Redditch on September 21, 2024, carrying Khan’s licence.

Staff again became suspicious and began asking questions to establish whether the man was really Khan.

The impersonator could not provide important details, including Khan’s date of birth and the booking confirmation email. He then claimed that he was going to get his passport from his wife, who was waiting in the car, before leaving the test centre.

The two incidents were later investigated by the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency, known as the DVSA.

When Khan was questioned by investigators, he denied arranging for anyone to take the tests for him. Instead, he claimed that he had lost his provisional driving licence and suggested that someone else may have found it and used it without his knowledge.

Prosecutor Anton Balkitis told Birmingham Magistrates’ Court that Khan had supplied his licence to people who intended to use it for fraudulent purposes.

Khan eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of supplying an article for use in fraud.

He appeared before magistrates on Monday, August 24, with the assistance of a Pashtun interpreter.

Khan was sentenced to 45 weeks in prison, but the sentence was suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to pay £1,750 in costs and a £154 victim surcharge. In addition, he must complete a ‘thinking skills’ programme.

The court heard that the use of impersonators to take driving tests is a wider problem, with people openly advertising such services on social media.

Mr Balkitis told the court that social media was full of posts offering people the chance to pay someone else to take tests for them, describing the practice as widespread.

The case highlights how test centre staff can become suspicious when someone attempts to take an exam using another person’s identification documents. In Khan’s case, both attempts were stopped before the impersonators could complete the theory tests.

The DVSA is responsible for carrying out driving tests across Great Britain and approving driving instructors and MOT testers. The agency also carries out safety tests on lorries and buses, conducts roadside checks on drivers and vehicles, and monitors vehicle recalls.

Khan’s case ended with the court imposing a suspended prison sentence rather than immediate imprisonment, along with financial penalties and a requirement to complete the rehabilitation programme.