A driving instructor has been handed a six month community supervision order after it was revealed that she carried out driving lessons despite not having the relevant qualifications. The driving instructor has been providing driving lessons to 13 students while working with RED driving school before she was finally caught.
Lisa Branston was convicted of four counts of fraud after it was revealed that she had earned £8,000 despite the fact she had not passed the third stage of her driving instructor exam.
Sentencing, Judge Christopher Mitchell commented "It’s a very unusual case. You were a trainee and were entitled, as a trainee, to give lessons. No doubt because of your excellent instruction no harm was done to these pupils and apparently they all, in due course, passed their tests.
"Nonetheless, this is not something that should have taken place. The difficulty is, had there been an accident or any problem at all you would not have been insured and there would have been all sorts of problems. I accept you have always been a hard-working woman and, because of all the circumstances, this is almost a victimless crime."