Paul Berry, convicted bogus ADI. Article and Photo courtesy of MirfieldReporter (.co.uk)

The Judge, Kerry Macgill, has made an example of a bogus driving instructor by sentencing him to serve 4 months in jail.

Low Price Lessons driving instructors are united in the view that phoney driving instructors are a scourge in society. The unfortunate learner drivers who are ripped off by sham instructors are putting themselves and others in danger.

It is hoped that Paul Andrew Berry, 45 years of age and a convicted bogus instructor, will serve as an example of what fate awaits other con artists. Berry admitted making £6,500 from his pupils over a period of more than 3 years scamming learner drivers.

Paul Berry did attempt to become a driving instructor through the normal channels, however, when he failed to pass the driving instructor tests he went on to claim he was an approved driving instructor, and took money from unsuspecting learner drivers.

Simon Ostler, prosecuting, told the courts that Berry registered to qualify as a driving instructor in June 2010 but since 2005 he had been claiming income tax as a self-employed driving instructor since 2005.

Mr Ostler said: “He knew the route to become an approved driving instructor.

“The fact that this defendant was operating as a driving instructor can indicate a lack of public confidence in the system of checking driving instructors.”

Richard Clews, mitigating, said: “The customers got a service.

“They got what they paid for and it seems that they got a very good service.”

In a statement read to the court at Wednesday’s hearing, Berry said: “I have always wanted to work and I have gone the wrong way about it, and I apologise for that.”

At an earlier hearing Berry pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud, dating from September 2007 to October 2010, by false representation.

Sentencing, Judge Macgill told Berry: “You attempted to masquerade as a qualified driving instructor.

“You deceived on a calculated and repeated basis. It was an uninsured and, in my view, dangerous service.”

The Judge and the prosecution have stopped short of branding Berry as a threat to the public. Judge Macgill even went on to say that some of Berry’s pupils had passed their driving tests. In sentencing Berry to 4 months jail time he wanted to deter others from thinking they could get away with pretending to be ADIs (approved driving instructors).

A word from Low Price Lessons:

Low Price Lessons will only accept fully qualified approved driving instructors to join up for it’s free driving school advertising website in an attempt to mitigate the supply side problem with unqualified instructors. Low Price Lessons advises pupils and their parents to make sure they check their instructor is displaying their Green Badge that shows they are a fully qualified driving instructor before getting in the car. Also, book driving lessons with an approved driving instructors through our cost cutting website.

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